Steps to be taken to send back Afghan refugees from Pakistan: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government

PESHAWAR: The provincial government of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa today said that it will take steps to send back illegal Afghan refugees, alleging that their presence was main reason for persistent occurrences of terrorism, unrest and crimes in the northwestern province.

"A mechanism would be evolved for the return of illegal Afghan refugees as soon as possible," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said.

He said that though the provincial government is making all possible efforts for the restoration of lasting peace in the region, it is not possible until their geographical borders were duly secured and foreign policy revisited as per national interests.

"Similarly our borders with Fata also need immediate attention to secure Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rest of the country from infiltration of miscreants wherein sending back and deployment of FC platoons at Fata borders is prerequisite," he said in a statement today.

The chief minister said that the Peshawar school attack, in which 150 people, mostly children were killed, awakened the entire nation and stirred conscience of the world community to understand the real problem of Pakistan in respect of terrorism.

He said the presence of millions of Afghan refugees on their soil was main reason of persistent occurrences of terrorism, unrest and crimes.

"They are not only used by miscreants as the facilitators for such misdeeds but they have also increased pressure on the feeble economy and meagre available resources," he added.

Khattak said that government both at provincial and central level would take steps to immediately expel all the illegal Afghan Refugees.

Khattak expressed hope that the federal government, in the light of the recommendations of an all-party conference in Peshawar, would take bold steps to secure the country.