Daily Times

PESHAWAR: The Capital City Police has arrested as many as 8220 Afghan Refuges, residing illegally in various parts of the provincial metropolis, in the current year.

These arrests had been made during the various search and strike operations carried out by the police, in the aftermath of a growing number of complaints being registered against an increase in street crimes, robberies, target killing, mobile-snatching and car-lifting in several areas, said a report issued by the police department.

It was also noted that a campaign had been launched against the criminals and outlaws in the cantonment and rural areas, on the directives of SSP Abbas Majeed Marwat, wherein as many as 8,220 Afghan refugees sans any proper documentation were arrested. The report added that some of the arrested Illegal foreigners were also found to be involved in various criminal activities

DSP Rokhan Zeb told Daily Times that a police operation team had recently arrested as many as 11 members of a robbery gang in its raids at various areas of Peshawar. “During interrogation, the members of the gang (also) told the police that an Afghan teenager Usman alias Tawaani leads the ring with the help of two other close aides, also said to be Afghan nationals,” the official added. He also maintained that the ringleader and his associates were all arrested during the search and strike operation by Phandu police in their jurisdiction. Once he was arrested, Tawani confessed to his crimes during interrogation, which mainly involved robberies with the assistance of his 11-member gang, Zeb said.

The police report also asserted that at least 311 illegal Afghans had been arrested from different areas of the capital city during the various search and strike operations carried out in the first half of July 2016. Daily Times was apprised of the involvement of the arrested men in crimes of various natures as well as the huge cache of arms, munitions, drugs, liquor and explosive materials, which were also recovered from their possession.

It may also be mentioned here that a sharp rise in the raids against illegal Afghans has been observed after the recent border clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Police sources, however, maintained that no such action had been taken against any legal and registered Afghans, living in the city.

Only a few days ago, the security forces had extended a 24-hours deadline to the Afghan refugees residing illegally in several parts of KP and Fata to travel to Torkham Border for their repatriation. They were also warned of a massive crackdown, which would be directed against the illegal Afghans if they failed to hand over themselves for their voluntary repatriation. On Friday, the political administration in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency demolished houses of 10 illegal Afghan citizens, who had already evacuated their houses to head for Afghanistan.