In the wake of frequent terrorist acts in Peshawar and its surrounding areas, law enforcing agencies initiated a crackdown against Afghan nationals residing illegally in the region.
According to officials, so far 70 Afghan nationals including four clerics have been arrested since Wednesday. The crackdown against Afghan nationals is underway at scattered areas throughout Peshawar.
However, a large number of people have been netted out from Faqirabad, Afghan Colony, Hayatabad and Dalazak Road.
The crackdown, according to officials, started soon after a meeting between Peshawar based Afghanistan Consul General Syed Mohammad Ismaelkhel and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai.
Ismaelkhel on Wednesday called on Yousafzai and diverted his attentions towards miseries of Afghan nationals. The consul general had informed the provincial minister that Afghan nationals were being harassed and terrorised by policemen and personnel of other law enforcing agencies. In this respect, Yousafzai had assured the Afghan diplomat of looking into the matter.
Police officials said cases under the Foreign Act have been registered against all Afghan nationals and they could be deported to their country.
According to officials, the crackdown against Afghan nationals was started keeping in view frequent acts of violence, especially target killing in the area. Officials believe Afghan nationals are involved in terrorist acts and therefore, all arrested Afghans are being interrogated before they are produced before a court of law for deportation.
On the other hand, due to limited resources and infrastructure, Afghan nationals are showing severe resentment over the slow process of deportation. The court orders deportation within seven days but most of them are imprisoned in jails for months. Political administration of Khyber Agency is also helping in the process.
Meanwhile, after frequent attacks against policemen and the recent bomb attack against a judge of Sindh High Court in Karachi, Peshawar Police tightened security measures all over the city. In this respect, extra ordinary check points popped up on different roads, particularly those connecting Peshawar with the tribal belt and congested commercial areas.
What police and government can do only to strengthen the security of that particular area, they come silently under their noses blasts their vests infront of everyone and in result lot of families got ruined in a single second then heap of dead bodies lying everywhere, is this our Pakistan to see blasts silently is our culture now?
Afghans are present in numbers in different localities of Lahore especially in the cantonment areas.They need to be deported.The authorities so far are waiting some more damage to take place before they are told to act. With deportation of this lot there is bound to be less sabotage.
I do not agree with the word "hunting". People are not animals to be hunted! I do not believe in crimnalising a community based on ethnicty. Arrest all for overstaying or illegally staying but don't put stamp them. How about TTP and others.? Have we not learnt lessons in Karachi and other places in Pakistan? Are moslems in western countries being hunted for such. Words convey feelings and passion. Let us be careful. May be i am a trifle touchy for obvious reasons!
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