Government of KPK expelling 300 Afghan clerics

A home department source said that there were 294 Afghan imams (prayer leaders) in the province and their documents had been sent to relevant commissioners as part of the National Action Plan.

By Afzal Khan

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Published: Thu 26 Feb 2015, 10:45 PM

Last updated: Thu 25 Jun 2015, 8:47 PM

Islamabad — The Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday ordered all commissioners and deputy inspectors general (DIGs) of police to expel Afghan clerics from the province and submit a report on the implementation within seven days.

A home department source said that there were 294 Afghan imams (prayer leaders) in the province and their documents had been sent to relevant commissioners as part of the National Action Plan.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is taking a tough stand against registered and unregistered Afghans after the killing of 150 people, including 134 children, in the December 16 terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.

There are fears that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s approach to the Afghan refugee crisis will result in the harassment and exploitation of the refugees at the hands of the police. Just this week, a New York Times report described the mistreatment meted out to Afghan refugees in Pakistani camps, with some forced out if they couldn’t pay the police.

Currently, Pakistan hosts 1.6 million Afghan refugees, whom the government has issued the Proof of Registration cards through the National Database Registration Authority and thus, legalising their stay in the country until December 2015.

news@khaleejtimes.com


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