Over 630 undocumented Afghans held in Peshawar

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Hundreds of Afghan nationals have been arrested in Peshawar as part of an ongoing crackdown on undocumented refugees, police say.

A police spokesman said 491 cases had been filed under Foreigners Act against the Afghans who had no residency documents.

The News quoted Muhammad Alam as saying 632 Afghans had been detained over the past 45 days in different localities of the northwestern city.

New checkpoints have been set up in provincial metropolis and other cities in an attempt to improve the security situation.

Personnel of different departments, meanwhile, are collecting data of the Afghans who have been issued with fake Pakistani identity cards.

Last week, the newspaper reported, the Federal Investigation Agency arrested four officials of the National Database and Registration Authority for their alleged involvement in issuing Pakistani CNICs to Afghan citizens.

Meanwhile, a UNHCR spokesman voiced concern at reports regarding the arrest of Afghan refugees in Sindh province.

Qaiser Afridi said some of the refugees with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards had been freed while others were still in custody.

He added: “UNHCR raised the issue of arrests with the federal government and the Sindh government and they assured us that no action will be taken against refugees.

“People should not be punished for exercising their fundamental human right to seek asylum,” commented the UNHCR spokesman.

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