Ahsan asks US for economic plan to repatriate of Afghan refugees

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  • Imran’s anti-parliament tirade is an attempt to evade defeat in general elections

Responding to the US demand of ‘do more’, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Friday said instead of Pakistan, the US should do more by helping it repatriate at least three million Afghan refugees living in the country.

“ The US should introduce an economic plan/package for repatriation of 3 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan,” the minister told a group of economic journalists during his visit to the CPEC projects in Gwadar.

Echoing Pakistan’s ambassador to US Aizaz Chaudhry’s words, the interior minister said, “With 3 million refugees living in Pakistan, you can never be 100 per cent sure who is living in their settlements. If the US wants to be 100 per cent sure that there are no miscreants living in Pakistan, Washington must help in repatriating the 3 million refugees,” Iqbal said.

Conflict in Afghanistan has had adverse effects in Pakistan, the minister said, adding that Pakistan is committed to working with the international community to bring about normalcy in Afghanistan so that the refugees can return to their homeland,” Iqbal further explained.

Talking about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said international conspiracies are being hatched against the corridor, as the project is not only a game changer for Pakistan, but for the entire region.

He however stressed the need to avoid internal conflicts and disturbances. “We need not be worried about the apparent US, Israel and Indian alliance. The visit of Israeli prime minister to India has also cleared many doubts,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s reservations regarding the conspiracies against the CPEC were confirmed when the Indian spy agent was arrested in Pakistan.

Moreover, commenting on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s “consistent use of foul language”, he said this depicts the undemocratic mindset of Imran Khan, adding that such tactics are to evade defeat in the coming polls.

However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is ready for the 2018 general elections in the country.

He further said that the PTI wants to create a political crisis in the country by asking for resignations from parliament.

About persistent Line of Control (LoC) violations by Indian troops, the interior minister said that India cannot divert attention from the situation in IOK by committing such heinous acts.