Gandapur urges Pakistani citizenship for Afghan refugees

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has urged the federal government to grant citizenship to Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan and refrain from forcibly deporting them. 

Talking to the media in Peshawar, the KP chief minister said that Afghan refugees were our neighbours, and Pakistan had embraced them wholeheartedly. However, he said that the government has failed in its policy regarding refugees. 

He demanded that Afghan refugees should not be sent back in a disrespectful manner and that their forced deportation should be avoided. “Why aren’t Afghan refugees being granted Pakistani citizenship?” he questioned. 

Gandapur said that he opposes the expulsion of Afghans residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “I have sent terms of reference (TORs) to the foreign and interior ministries for negotiations with Afghanistan, but I have yet to receive a response. Instead, my suggestion for dialogue was ridiculed and taken as a joke,” he lamented. 

The KP chief minister also spoke about the ongoing investigation into the assassination of Maulana Hamidul Haq.

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He also said that a group has claimed responsibility for Mufti Munir Shakir’s killing. 

He said that the security situation in the province was stable during Imran Khan’s government, but in an attempt to eliminate a political party, everything was put at stake, leading to the current turmoil.

“The deteriorating conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are a result of the incompetence of the federal government and institutions,” he said. 

Gandapur said that he had discussed the law and order situation with the army chief but received no support. “Even now, they are focused on dismantling the PTI. Bringing those behind Form 47 to power is a mockery of democracy, but no one seems to care,” he said. 

He criticized the filing of an FIR against him for merely commenting on a “drama” and warned that covering up the prevailing crisis could lead to a situation similar to 1971. “How can we move forward under such circumstances?” he asked. 

The chief minister also highlighted the economic losses due to the closure of the Torkham border, saying that it was costing the province Rs1 billion per month and was severely damaging trade. “We need to abandon failed policies and move forward,” he said. 

Gandapur pointed out that two million people have left the country in the past year. He mentioned that discussions have taken place with Imran Khan regarding Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash, and a decision will be made once the committee’s report was released. 

He complained that meeting times with Imran Khan were not being granted and hinted at a cabinet reshuffle based on the government’s one-year performance. “I have received the report and will present it to Imran Khan,” he said. 

He warned that any PTI member who meets with Pervez Khattak will no longer be part of the party. “Before leaving the party, I spoke with Mahmood Khan and advised him not to leave, but he didn’t listen. Pervez Khattak has acted shamelessly,” Gandapur said.