Ministers given 10 days to end refugees

KABUL (SANA): Members of Parliament the other day set a ten-day deadline for the ministries of refugee and foreign affairs to submit a report about the continued crackdowns on Afghan citizens in Pakistan.

Wolesi Jirga or Lower House summoned Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Abdul Karim Barahawi and Deputy Foreign Minister Abdul Kabir Farahi to brief the house about the problems facing by Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

The MPs lashed out at Pakistani authorities for demolishing Afghan refugees’ camps and their forced evacuation from Durgi and Zangal Bagh camps.

They also assailed the Pakistani government for failing to recover the adducted Afghan ambassador designate Abdul Khaliq Farahi

Barahawi said Pakistan police tortured illegal immigrants and relocated those having identity cards.

“We are ready to provide shelter to our Afghans brothers, if Pakistani authorities violate their promises of sheltering them until a scheduled date for their voluntarily repatriation,” he added.

Deputy foreign minister believed that there were some elements hiding in refugee camps that prompted Pakistani authorities to launch a crackdown to arrest them. “This situation also created problems for ordinary immigrants,” he said.

“We will continue our struggle to find out a solution to the problem, although our earlier efforts in this regard were failed,” the minister said.

About the recovery of abducted Farahi, he said Afghan and Pak authorities were jointly working to ensure a safe release of the envoy.

He added Pakistan believed Farahi, who went missing in Peshawar city of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) September 23, 2008, was still alive.

Another MP Mir Ahmad Joyenda blamed Afghan diplomat in Islamabad of his involvement in corruption and asked for his immediate replacement.

Replying to Joyenda claim, Farahi sought evidence from him in support of his charges, saying his ministry would take action if any proof was provided.

Parliamentarians said that the answers from the two officials were not satisfactory, setting a ten-day deadline for them to find out solution to the problems facing Afghan refugees and present a report to the house.

According to foreign ministry, 1.7 million registered and 400,000 unregistered refugees are currently living in Pakistan. Around 950,000 registered Afghan refugees live in the neighbouring Iran.