Karachi: Afghan Camp demolition to last several more days

KARACHI: An operation to demolish houses in the city’s Afghan Camp has been continued for the second day as police said that the demolition operation to last for several more days.

Pakistan Rangers Sindh and police began demolishing the 40-year-old Afghan Camp in Karachi on Wednesday. Rangers’ personnel, police, Malir Development Authority (MDA), and other concerned departments are participating in the operation.

Yesterday, about 350 structures were demolished, still 2,800 houses and other structures remaining in the spiraling settlement spreading over 200 acres.

Police officials were attacked by the people resisting the operation yesterday. Police detained and later released the people protesting against the operation.

The vacated land will be handed over to the concerned authorities.

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

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.

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