Kabul, April 15 (IANS) Police in Pakistan’s Quetta has arrested over 20 landlords and shop owners for renting properties to undocumented Afghan migrants, local media reported on Wednesday.
The crackdown launched on Tuesday targetted those who “violated rental laws”, with cases lodged against those arrested under existing legal provisions governing housing and foreign residency, Afghanistan’s leading news agency Khaama Press reported.
Hundreds of undocumented Afghans were identified and arrested during the operation which demonstrates growing pressure faced by migrants in Pakistan.
Afghan migrants in Balochistan said that the restrictions imposed by the authorities have made their routine life increasingly difficult, restricting their access to housing, employment and essential services needed for basic survival.
Pakistan has imposed a ban on renting properties to undocumented foreign nationals in Islamabad and nearby areas and extended restrictions to utilities, mobile SIM cards, and other essential services, Khaama Press reported.
In the past few months, Afghan refugees have written letters to the United Nations and other bodies to express concerns about increased arrests, harassment and forced deportations.
On March 15, over 300 illegal Afghan refugees were detained by police during raids carried out in various parts of Swabi district in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A crackdown was launched after the district administration and police officials’ decision to deport illegal Afghans, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported, citing sources. The police had ordered Station House Officers (SHOs) to keep data of all illegal Afghans in the jurisdictions of their police stations.
According to sources, 341 Afghan refugees were arrested during raids conducted in Topi, Razaar, Chota Lahor tehsils and other parts of Swabi on March 15. They mentioned that the raids will continue and all Afghan refugees, who are illegally residing in Swabi, will be detained and deported to Afghanistan.
Around 30,000 Afghan refugees live in various parts of Swabi, with most of them having proper documentation, while others stay illegally. The sources revealed that these Afghan refugees were residing in Gandaf Refugees Camp and Gohati Refugees Camp, and a large number of them were staying in various farming fields and cities.
–IANS
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