PESHAWAR: Afghan elders residing in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have called upon Pakistani authorities to extend their stay and suggested a resolution of issues between the two neighbouring countries through joint committees.
“Situation in war affected Afghanistan is not conducive; therefore, we (Afghans) should be allowed to stay in Pakistan,” remarked Baryal Miankhel, the chairman of United Afghan Supreme Council during a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday. The Afghan refugees have established a joint body a year ago for the safeguarding of their genuine rights and interests.
Baryal Miankhel appreciated Pakistan for accommodating millions of refugees for several decades at a time when the people were facing many problems in war-torn Afghanistan. He said that Afghans will remember this unprecedented hospitality and support for a long time to come. He made it clear that Afghans are determined to keep Pakistan’s interests in mind and would never allow anyone to use its (Afghanistan) soil against Pakistan.
Flanked by other members of the council including Haji Dost Muhammad, Rahmat Samim, Muhammad Noor Ahmadzai, Shinwari Nasrullah Betab, Haji Said Agha, Malik Ghulam Sakhi, Miankhel described the current tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan as a conspiracy hatched by the third party. He said both the neighbouring states had brotherly relations and no force could detach them from each other. He said it was the time that both states show maturity and set good examples of relations so that next generation would follow them.
Miankhel recalled that Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UNHCR agreed to register all Afghan refugees but the process was yet to be initiated, saying that everyone wanted to return home but they had some serious problems and need support on part of the stakeholders.
“If Afghans are given some extension, our children will be able to complete their education and make arrangements for residences in their mother country because most of them have no proper resources and source of income in the hometowns,” he observed.
Besides, he proposed that the border should be opened forthwith in the name of ‘baab-e-dosti (gate of friendship) so that the people, especially the patients, students, business persons could reach their destinations without any further inconveniences.
He said that around 5000 daily wagers on both sides of the border had been rendered jobless since the closure of the gate at Torkham, and their families were facing serious financial crisis.
Another elder Haji Dost Muhammad complained that federal government was forcing them to leave Pakistan at all costs and that was why the WAPDA had increased power tariff up to Rs20 per unit for them which was sheer injustice with Afghans.
He said Afghans had moved to the federal ombudsman, the Peshawar High Court and then to the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the raise in power tariff; all the apex courts had issued decrees in their favour, but still they were forced to pay bills at a high rate.
Expressing serious concern over the arrest of Afghans in Lahore, he said that Punjab government had launched a crackdown against Afghan refugees and many of them were still behind bars.
“Police have taken away their cars and declared them as illegal foreigners in order to deport them. Our people are now not released on sureties, which is a violation of all the relevant agreements,” he lamented.
Afghan Transport Owners Association Muhammad Noor Ahmadzai, Rahmat Samim also narrated ordeal of the people stranded on both sides of the border and asked for the reopening of the border to restore communication and trade activities.
Don't trust the afghans. They are bad people
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