KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Afghan refugees deported via Spinboldak crossing have said they had no time to collect their house belongings and their cash and assets in bank accounts were frozen by Pakistani authorities due to forced return and deportation.
They alleged Pakistani security forces have snatched cash from their pockets during the deportation process saying that some of their family members were still in Pakistan.
Abdul Hakim, one of the deportees, said he returned to the country with his family and all house belonging but some members of his family were still in Pakistan.
“We were forced to return, some of our house items remained and we were unable to collect them, still my some children are on the other side of the crossing and I am here, My house was in Karachi, my house items remained there, Pakistani authorities frozen the assets of Afghans in their banks and even they snatched money from the pockets of Afghans.”
Raz Mohammad, another deportee, said: “I left everything in Pakistan, my house, my business, my investment and I came here empty hand.”
He said most Afghans had business deals with Pakistanis and it remained unsettled.
He said Pakistani government did not allow Afghans to take more than 50,000 rupees with themselves.
Abdul Wasai, who runs plastic business in Pakistan’s Karachi City, said: “We left our depots full of plastic there, our houses raided and we were forced to return, people who owed money to us said come back after 10 days but we cannot go back after 10 days, they intentionally refused to give our money.”
Local officials have pledged the provision of facilities for the returned Afghans and said they people would be taken to their destinations in a decent manner.
Spinboldak District Chief Mawlavi Abdullah Bashir said a temporary camp had been set up for the deported Afghans where all facilities, including food and water had been arranged.
He said Pakistan authorities had surpassed Afghans, they deported them and destroyed their homes.
He added: “Interim Pakistani government treated Afghans badly but we have provided all facilities to our people until they arrive in their places of origin.”
Mawlavi Abdul Latif Hakimi, District Refugees Affairs head, said over 10,000 Afghans have returned via Spinboldak since Monday and each returned Afghan provided 11,000 afs and transportation facility till its last destination.
He said another big camp is also planned in Spinboldak and information in this regard would be shared later.
Last month Pakistani government announced that all illegal migrants should leave Pakistan in one month. Beyond the deadline illegal migrants would be forced to return, according to Pakistani authorities.
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