QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Saturday disposed of a petition challenging the repatriation of Afghan refugees.
A two-member BHC bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Muhammad Ejaz Swati, and Justice Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana, heard the petition, filed by Advocate Nusrat Hassan Afghani.
The petitioners sought court intervention to prevent authorities from harassing POR (Proof of Registration) cardholders, violating their right to dignity and privacy of home, or forcibly relocating them till at least the expiry of the time period indicated in the notification dated 22-07-2024.
During the proceedings, Additional Attorney General Muhammad Fareed Dogar assured the court that officials were complying with the July 22, 2024 notification and would act strictly according to the law, ensuring no harassment of the petitioners.
Last year, the federal cabinet approved one-year extension in the validity of POR (Proof of Registration) cards of 1.45 million Afghan refugees until June 30, 2025.
‘KP not to repatriate Afghan refugees forcibly’
On Friday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur declared that the provincial government will not force Afghan refugees.
“We could not throw them back on the border”. “We will not send Afghan migrants back until the Afghan government consents to accept them,” Gandapur said while addressing a presser in Islamabad on Friday.
He said the KP government will not force any Afghan refugee to return. “We have to move ahead to negotiate with Afghanistan”, he said.
He opposed the Centre’s policy to tackle the people who resorted to arms.
“We have to see, why they have taken arms. They are our own people, we have to own them,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s CM here said. “We have solution of terrorism,” Gandapur claimed.
