Bakhtar

Strict security measures which have been put in place following the devastating suicide attack on Koocha Risaldar Mosuqe’s of Peshawar are causing pain to unregistered Afghan refugees in the city.

According to the UNHCR, there are about 1.4 million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan and as many number of unregistered Afghan migrants. The fall of the Kabul has further precipitated exodus of Afghans to Pakistan with majority of them without documents.

Behashta Ayubi and her family lives, who lives near Islamabad after arriving on a visa, has been badly affected.

She said that Afghans are discriminated against in Pakistan. “It is very difficult for Afghan refugees to rent houses,” he said. She said that some days after arrival in Pakistan, a blast took place in a Peshawar mosque, which made it difficult for them to rent a house.

Behashta was a journalist in Afghanistan while her father was a government employee. Her family was an influential one; however, they had to beg people even to be able to rent a house.

She said that they had to wait for three months for their Pakistani visas and they incurred heavy sums on it.

Her family problems despite having valid visas, also illustrates the issue the illegal migrants might face.

Haseebullah, an Afghan who works in a brick kiln in Peshawar said having no documents to be in Pakistan, it was really difficult to even step out of his workplace.

He said that they were harassed by police at every step. Mr Haseeb said that suspension of proof of registration card issuance was causing them huge problem. “I cannot move around, go to other province and buy a phone SIM card in the absence of a POR card,” he said.

He said that he came to Pakistan without legal documents; however, wanted to stay here legally, which was not possible due to  UNHCR not issuing cards to newly arrived Afghans.

“I traveled from Nangarhar to Spin Boldak to entre Pakistan through Chaman crossing,” he said. He said that they travelled on dirt track to enter Pakistan and paid up to Rs 20,000 to the human smugglers.

Atiq Shah, SP City Peshawar said that they were taking action against illegal Afghan refugees.

He said that they have taken action against over 850 illegal Afghans during the current year.

He said that police was taking action against illegal migrants under the Foreigners Act. He said that those coming to Pakistan should come legally on visa.

On the other hand, sources said that Afghan refugees are given many concessions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, whenever there are incidents of terrorism in the province, they face harassment at the hands of law enforcement agencies.

Therefore, both the government and UNHCR are urging Afghans to visit Pakistan on visas.