Daily Times

Weeks after the federal government asked “illegal foreigners” and Afghan Citizen Card holders, residing in Pakistan, to leave before March 31, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur castigated the Centre’s policy, saying that they should not be expelled from the country forcefully.

“The Centre’s policy on Afghan refugees is flawed… The approach taken in the past violated human rights,” the provincial chief executive said while addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday.

Islamabad has in the past blamed militant attacks and crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest portion of migrants in the country.

Pakistan launched its repatriation drive of foreign citizens, most of whom are Afghan, in 2023 but had said they were first focusing on foreigners with no legal documentation.

The United Nations says that more than 800,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan since the repatriation drive began and that in total Pakistan hosted around 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.

Pakistan is currently hosting 2.1 million documented Afghans. There are hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghan nationals also living in Pakistan for decades.

Speaking to journalists, CM Gandapur noted that Afghan refugees who wish to acquire Pakistani nationality should be granted citizenship. He said he disagrees with the policy of expelling Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

“There should be no issues if Afghans with no criminal record are willing to stay in Pakistan… I have always raised my voice for Afghans who are legally compliant,” he added.

Speaking on the rising wave of terrorism, the KP chief minister questioned the increasing incidents, claiming that the security situation was better during PTI founder Imran Khan’s tenure.

“When the state focused on crushing one party, it neglected its own responsibilities, leading to a surge in terrorism,” he said, blaming the deteriorating security situation on the Centre’s incompetence.

Emphasising the need for dialogue, Gandapur lamented that two months have passed, yet the government has failed to approve the terms of reference (ToRs) forwarded by his administration for holding talks with Afghanistan on the issue of cross-border terrorism.

The chief minister also praised the provincial police, stating that they were leaving no stone unturned in repelling terrorists on the borders. However, he criticised the lack of resources, saying, “The police have not been given new weapons in the last 10 years.”

Gandapur further asserted that once KP’s rightful share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award is provided, his government will increase police salaries and fund other necessary projects.

Warning of potential protests if KP’s NFC share is not allocated, he urged the federal government to engage in negotiations with the province, stating, “If they are out of funds, they should sit with us and find a solution.”