On its October 28, 2009 edition Urdu Daily Newspaper “Mashriq” reported on its third page a report titled “Crackdown against Afghans… Sweets for the Police”
The paper reports:
“As a consequence of crackdown on Afghan immigrants whether the law and order situation improves or not but the crackdown has brought good luck for the police officers. These days approximately half of the police force has the duty of arresting those Afghans who reside in Pakistan illegally. When some of them are arrested under 14 Foreign Act (a law that allows the arrest of foreigners residing illegally and consequently for their deportation) only 25 of them could be put behind bars the rest are released in the night through other means. In this way the policemen are earning gold and silver. However, the question that arises out of this is what would be the result of this crackdown? The crackdown against Afghans has become an ineffective measure since generally the deportation of these immigrants also doesn’t affect them at all. When deported through Torkham (the main border passage between Afghanistan and Pakistan), they simply cross back into Pakistan and reach Peshawar through the Khyber Agency route. “
Pakistan is passing through a very critical time in its history. Challenged by hardliner extremists in Waziristan, where operation is already underway against them, bombs go off nearly on a regular basis these days. Security concerns have created a panic like situation in the cities of Pakistan causing educational institutions to close down for more than a week in the troubled NWFP Province and for a week in other three provinces. Besides, other measures crackdown against illegally residing Afghans (which remains limited by name) and other foreigners has always been the first refuge point in the history of law and order situation here. To avoid any such untoward incident or a post bomb blast situation Clause 144 is enacted that discourages public gatherings and encourages the arrests of any dubious individual or simply Afghans refugees.
The crackdown against illegally residing foreigners is absolutely ineffective since it isn’t supported or backed by strong measures in the border areas. As reported in the newspaper report, Afghans who get deported stay a night in the border town of Jalalabad and then cross back into Pakistan by paying a nominal amount of Rs. 20-500 to get back into Pakistan. I know a lot of such Afghans who do this practice and it’s so easy for them. Though Afghans have been issued a UN Sponsored Identity card by NADRA of Pakistan named “Proof of Registration” yet there are still Afghans who don’t have them and simply go back to Afghanistan for family visits and then cross back into Pakistan so easily.
Asadullah and Hameedullah, two office boys in an Afghan Institute, are two people who do this practice regularly. When I asked them about the card or their passport, a smiling Asadullah said, “I’ve got Rs. 20 Passport”. He said, “We just give Rs. 20-50 in Torkham and cross back into Pakistan, so there’s no need for holding a passport.”
Pakistani citizens who have lived alongside these Afghans strongly believe the fault is from the Government’s side. Quoting a news report from yesterday Muhammad Hussein, an aged local resident of Peshawar said, “It’s all fraud. Yesterday we heard there was a link of providing these UN Cards to terrorist outfits from Shabqadar NADRA office. They only start teasing Afghans who have nothing to do with all this.” (Point to remember is when arrests are made, it isn’t only of those Afghans residing illegally but also of those who have proper residential documents).
Muhammad Hussein in an angry mood said, “We need strong measures by our security agencies to be taken properly in time. Why don’t they take these measures before an untoward incident? Why are Afghans arrested every time there’s an unfortunate incident? If it really is so that these Afghans create panic in our land, then why aren’t they categorically deported once and for all?”
As the crackdown continues and more Afghans get arrested, the bribe money also flows into the pockets of those who make more arrests and release them later. The measure still remains ineffective as bombs go off on a regular basis and the miscreants/militants namely Taliban and other outlawed organizations claim responsibility so boldly.