Illegal Afghans given deadline to leave Jamrud

JAMRUD: The political administration in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency on Monday gave a week’s deadline to the Afghan refugees without proper documentation to vacate their houses and leave the area, official sources said.

They said that a crackdown would be launched against illegal Afghans on the expiry of the deadline. Officials of the political administration with the help of tribal elders in their respective areas made announcements through loudspeakers in mosques, asking the Afghan refugees to leave the area if they lacked proper residential documents.

Assistant Political Agent of Jamrud, Saiful Islam, told reporters that they had received strict directives from the high-ups to take action against illegal Afghans if they failed to present themselves for voluntary repatriation.

He added that the move was part of the security arrangements and maintaining law and order in the area. The official stressed, “Necessary measures would be taken to ensure no illegal foreigner is left behind in Jamrud tehsil of the Khyber Agency. “

He declared that it would be considered tantamount to challenging the writ of the government if the Afghan citizens residing illegally in the area failed to offer themselves for voluntary repatriation.

The political administration also asked the elders of the respective areas to help the government in the drive against illegal Afghan refugees.

PARACHINAR: The political administration on Monday arrested 10 cab drivers for allegedly transporting illegal Afghan nationals into Pakistan.

Talking to reporters, Assistant Political Agent of Parachinar Shahid Ali Khan said the administration took the action on reports about the involvement of cab drivers in helping the Afghan nationals cross the border without any legal documents.

He said the cab drivers used to transport the Afghan nationals through secret routes in Borki and Kharlachi.

He said all the arrested cab drivers were residents of the Kurram Agency.The official said the administration also arrested an Afghan national for obtaining a domicile certificate illegally.

He said the arrested Afghan national, identified as Tamim Khan, revealed that he had paid a huge amount to two tribal elders for verification of the documents required for applying for the domicile certificate.