The Capital Development Authority (CDA), in collaboration with the city administration, has selected two new sites for relocating slum dwellers of Sector I-11. A senior CDA official said the CDA would evacuate Afghan refugees dwelling in the Sector I-11 slums within a week. He said all registered Afghan refugees would be shifted to their designated camps in Kot Chanda, Peshawar. Moreover, Pakistanis settled there in the guise of refugees would be sent back to their native towns. People from tribal areas would be shifted either to Rawat or Sangjani, in the suburbs of the capital, where they would be allowed to stay till May 30. The official said the CDA was going to convene a final meeting of all stake holders including the ICT Police, administration, Traffic SSP, officials of secret agencies, IESCO officials and others to finalise arrangements for people from tribal areas. Earlier, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat had directed the CDA to have Sector I-11 slums vacated by January 15. MNA Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry had said that criminal elements had taken shelter in slum areas by calling themselves Afghan. He said the connivance of CDA officials in the matter had also been reported. Talking to Pakistan Today, a senior police officer said there was no option except shifting Afghan refugees to their designated camps in Kot Chanda. “Residents of the Afghan Basti pose a security risk and they must leave the area by January 15,” he added.
