Karachi authorities begin demolition of 40-year-old Afghan Basti

KARACHI: Pakistan Rangers Sindh and police have begun demolishing the 40-year-old Afghan Basti in Karachi, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

As per details, Rangers personnel, police, Malir Development Authority (MDA), and other relevant departments are participating in the operation.

 

According to officials, Rangers have sealed all entry and exit points of the area, while heavy contingents have been deployed on routes leading to the Afghan camp to maintain order during the operation.

Meanwhile, DIG West talking to ARY News stated that the settlement had previously housed around 30,000 Afghan nationals, who were evacuated in three phases. Currently, nearly 2,000 residents remain in the area.

He further revealed that some vacant houses in the settlement were being illegally occupied, prompting immediate action.

According to Irfan Baloch, the authorities will vacate the land completely and hand it over to the Malir Development Authority (MDA) following the operation.

Read more: Karachi’s vacated Afghan camp faces new threat from land grabbers

Earlier, Pakistan’s federal authorities had notified the immediate closure of all camps of Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

These refugee camps had been established for a long time in the province.

Afghan refugees present across the province have been directed to return to their country.

The refugee camps have been shut down in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Mansehra. Afghan refugee camps in Charsadda and Malakand have also been closed.

Federal authorities have also directed the provincial government to take the land of closed camps in its possession.

It is to be mentioned here that the Punjab government has also recently launched the third phase of deporting illegal Afghan residents, as part of Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP).