Afghan Migrants Face Harsh Conditions in Pakistan
A number of Afghan migrants in the Kohat camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa say their shops have been demolished by Pakistani police, an action that has sparked strong reactions and criticism from them.
They add that the police have ordered them to leave the area and return to Afghanistan.
According to the migrants, many of them cannot even afford transportation costs and are facing severe economic hardship.
Shaheen, an Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: “Yesterday they came, shut down the shops and demolished them. My shop has been completely destroyed, and my leg was also injured; now we have nothing left.”
Naser, another Afghan migrant, added: “These were our shops, and we Afghan migrants lived here. But yesterday Pakistani authorities came, destroyed the shops, and gave us a deadline to leave.”
Meanwhile, other Afghan migrants in the Landi Kotal camp near the Torkham crossing have complained about the lack of basic services and serious living conditions, calling for attention to their situation.
One Afghan migrant told : “For the past three days, Afghan migrants have been facing serious problems; it is raining, the weather is cold, and there are sick people among them. The road should be opened.”
Abdul Raziq Adil, a migrant rights activist, said: “The solution lies in sincere diplomatic engagement and recognizing migrants’ property rights based on their years of residence.”
On the other hand, Pakistani media reported that eight Afghan migrant camps in the Kohat and Hangu areas were demolished yesterday.
It is said that these camps had previously been evacuated, but some individuals had set up shops there, which were considered illegal by Pakistani authorities and subsequently destroyed.
Pakistani traders have also said that the return of Afghan migrants has created a gap in the region’s economic activities, a gap that may take years to fill.
