Administrative complex opens at Torkham to serve returnees

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The National Development Corporation (NDC) has built and opened an administrative complex in Torkham town of eastern Nangarhar province to provide facilities to Afghan families returning from Pakistan.

The complex, spread over about one acre of land, was built by the NDC in 15 days at a cost of 40 million afghanis.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony yesterday, Attaur Rahman Attash, NDC CEO, said the building was constructed with unprecedented speed and high quality to provide administrative and social services to families who recently returned from Pakistan.

He said: “We had set a target of 18 days to open it, but thank God, the NDC employees were able to complete the work in 15 days. Major programs have been planned for the returnees at the complex.”

Maulvi Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, said that currently 12 committees were working in the Torkham town’s Umari camp and the construction of the administrative complex would facilitate their work.

Fitrat said 58 permanent townships have been planned in 31 provinces for the returnees and currently designs of 35 towns have been completed in 25 provinces, and the process of distributing land has been started.

He added: “To settle them permanently, the Islamic Emirate is building 58 townships in 31 provinces. Currently, plans for 35 townships in 25 provinces have been finalized and their distribution has begun and some are ongoing. Under the master plan of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, houses are being built for the returning Afghan refugees. They will live in them permanently and necessary facilities will be provided to them.”

In addition, Ahmad Jan Bilal, the head of Emirati companies, said that the rapid construction of the administrative complex showed that Afghan engineers had the ability to serve their countrymen well during emergencies.

He said: “We inaugurated eight projects in the past three weeks. These development projects are aimed at achieving the country’s self-reliance. Also, this year, God willing, major projects will be implemented within the framework of Emirati companies and at the level of the Islamic Emirate in general to improve the lives of our countrymen, create facilities, and provide employment opportunities for the people.”

Also, Acting Minister of Economy Qari Din Mohammad Hanif called the violence against Afghan refugees by neighboring countries a violation of Islamic, humanitarian, and international principles.

He added that initially, neighboring countries treated Afghan refugees well, but recently they started mistreating them for political goals.

He said: “This is the second time this year that the deportation of Afghan refugees has begun in a very ruthless manner. Certainly, the forced deportation is against Islamic, humanitarian and international principles.”

He said the Islamic Emirate had opened its arms to the returning refugees and they would be respected to return to their country so that they were not misused for political gains.

The administrative complex will serve as a service center for thousands of returning Afghan families who faced many problems in the Umari camp upon their return from Pakistan.

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