KPK Government forms committee to look into problems of Afghan refugees
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PESHAWAR: (APP) Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak Wednesday ordered to form a committee comprising representatives of Home, Police, Special Branch, Education to look into problems of Afghan refugees.
Retired bureaucrat and former Ambassador to Kabul Rustam Shah Mohmand will be a coordinator and head of the committee.
The Chief Minister was talking to a 15-member delegation of Afghan refugees headed by Kabul Rustam Shah Mohmand here.
He categorically stated that the basic problem was the unregistered foreigners which was the jurisdiction of federal government.
Now funds had been released and the federal government had communicated to start the registration of Afghan refugees in October, he added.
Pervez Khattak said that World had changed now adding even citizens of Afghanistan carried necessary legal documents.
In our country, even a Pakistani cannot travel without identity cards. All countries have laws for the foreigners and these are followed.
The Afghan refugees who are registered would be treated under the law of the land and his government would resolve their genuine problems.
Chief Minister assured that our Police had emerged as a true professional force and they would not tease the Afghan refugees.
Still if there are some complaints and those are genuine then the government would resolve them.
He said that Afghan Refugees was an international and national issue and under the UN charter all such agreements were to be implemented by federal government.
The role of the province was limited but the federal government could make any decision in this regard.
"I have risen this issue at different forum and at different times. We have law & order situation and some other challenges and addressing them is in our best interest", the chief minister added.
Regarding Torkham and other border areas, he said that it was the jurisdiction of federal government and we could not make any decision in this regard.
Mr. Pervez Khattak said that the refugees taken into custody under 14 foreign Act, could be released under the law.
He directed for additional facilities in VRC Chamkani for the Afghan refugees.
He directed the special branch to open new counter for refugees. His government wanted to help out Afghan refugees but within the law. Afghan refugees are our brothers and we cannot see them in trouble. We hosted them for 38 years and we still have the same gesture.
Advisor to CM on Information & Public Relation Mushtaq Ghani, IGP, AIGP Special branch and other relevant officials were also present on the occasion.
