The government of Sindh on Monday has demanded the federal government set up camps in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and KP’s tribal areas to deal with the possible fresh influx of refugees from Afghanistan given the uncertain situation in that country following the pullout of NATO forces from there.
Sindh Minister for Agriculture and Supply and Prices Muhammad Ismail Rahoo has also asked the Centre to seal the country’s border with Afghanistan due to the civil war-like situation in that country.
Rahoo further said that in case the exodus of Afghan refugees becomes inevitable, they will be accommodated in camps set up just close to the border. “Sindh, particularly Karachi, is already grappling with the issue of overpopulation,” the minister said, and added, “That’s why the provincial capital is facing the issues of unemployment, lawlessness, load shedding and water shortage.”
“We in Sindh cannot afford to host millions of Afghan refugees again since the refugees who had migrated to Pakistan during military dictator General Ziaul Haq’s era are still here,” Rahoo pointed out.
Added to that, he added, the provincial government is already facing financial issues due to the non-provision of funds by the federal government.
“And we are not in a position to sustain more pressure,” he said categorically.
