ISLAMABAD - Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai yesterday said his statement about Afghan refugees had been misquoted by the Afghan media.
Afghan news media quoted him as saying that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province belonged to Afghans and they should be allowed to live there without any fear and hesitation.
Achakzai was quoted by Afghanistan Times as being critical of the Pakistan government’s policy regarding Afghan refugees and their alleged intimidation across some parts of the country. “If Afghans are harassed in other parts of Pakistan, they should come to the KP province where no one can ask them to show refugee cards because it also belongs to them,” Achakzai was quoted as saying.
Achakzai, while talking to The Nation, said he had been misquoted by the Afghan media. “My statement has been presented differently in the Afghan press to create controversy on the ongoing issue of Afghan refugees’ return,” Achakzai said. “I just stated that historically KP remained part of Afghanistan and Afghan refugees should be facilitated as they are our guests.”
The interview caused uproar in the country as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other politicians expressed strong reservations and condemned the interview by Achakzai who is known for his fierce Pashtun nationalist sentiments.
KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak termed the interview as shameless and said the heads of Pakistanis had hung in shame. The people of KP had given decision in favour of Pakistan in 1947, Khattak said.
“Achakzai’s claim about KP as part of Afghanistan is quite surprising. This claim is an open disrespect to the scores of Pashtuns who sacrificed their lives while defending their homeland, Pakistan. If Achakzai loves Afghanistan, he should stay there, but the KP people have chosen Pakistan. Without KP, Pakistan is incomplete,” Asad Umar, another senior PTI leader, said in a press statement.
Former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani also criticised the interview and asked the federal government to offer a response. Interestingly, there was no strong condemnation by the government over the remarks of Achakzai who is a close ally of the ruling party.
A very strong reaction was also seen on the social media after Achakzai’s statement. #DeportAchakzaiToAfghanistan was a top trend on twitter and he was dubbed as a traitor by some angry twitter users.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch said time had come for the Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan, adding the government wanted heir respectful return. He also revealed an Afghan minister was scheduled to visit Islamabad on July 19 to discuss the refugees’ issue with Pakistani officials.
Pakistan has granted Afghan refugees an extra six months stay as the authorities have initiated endeavours to move the UN and Kabul for refugees’ repatriation.
“The stay of PoR (Proof of Registration) card holding Afghan refugees shall be extended for a further period of six months only, till 31st December, 2016,” a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House said.
The issue of Afghan refugees’ repatriation came after a Torkham border crossing dispute when Pakistan attempted to build a gate at the border and an exchange of heavy gunfire between Pakistani and Afghan forces resulted in casualties.