Cops in KP directed to be considerate towards Afghans

PESHAWAR: Police have been directed to take the maximum care of women and children in actions after verification of undocumented Afghans kicked off.

Cops and other official teams were directed to be courteous to all those returning home after spending decades in Pakistan. Besides, teams carrying out door-to-door verification in different mapped areas have been ordered to be considerate.

“The mapping of undocumented foreigners has already been done. Now teams are encouraging them to leave voluntarily or they will be detained and deported,” an official told The News. He confirmed that teams had started visiting the mapped houses in Peshawar and Nowshera.

The authorities said agencies had mapped 49,690 illegal foreigners in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Some of them have returned recently. Besides, over 570 calls have been received on toll free number 1700 about the presence undocumented foreigners.

No undocumented foreigner has been arrested in KP so far. Only around 200 of those already in jails have been repatriated from KP.

Officials of the world bodies recently lauded the way both the documented and undocumented Afghans have been treated in KP.

Different teams are carrying out verification to repatriate the undocumented foreigners in KP as voluntary return has slowed down after the end of the deadline. A senior official told The News at many points, policemen, officials of district administration as well as public provide food, drinks and gifts to the returning families on their way to Torkham as a gesture of love and respect from entire Pakistan.

The KP government has set up a control room in the Home Department where officers from district administration, police, agencies, Federal Investigation Agency, immigration and other departments are present to monitor the process of repatriation.

The action is being taken only against foreigners who do not possess documents to legalize their stay in Pakistan. Those who obtained Pakistani CNICs will face action as well.

No action is being taken against Afghans who possess Proof of Registration cards issued by the UNHCR, Afghan Citizens Cards and valid visas. Also, the government has stopped authorities from moving against those whose cases are under process with UNHCR and are planning to leave for a third country due to serious threat to their lives in Afghanistan. One such Afghan was returned to Islamabad from Torkham after the KP authorities were approached by UNHCR officials with the request that there was a serious threat to his life if he was sent back.