| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| 600 Pakistani families migrate to Khost: Afghan govt |
| 2009-08-04 |
| [The News (Pak) Top Stories] The Afghan government on Sunday claimed that some 600 Pakistani families belonging to North Waziristan had migrated to Khost province to escape fighting in their area. Wali Rehman Syedzai, chief of Refugee Affairs in Khost in southern Afghanistan, told the Afghan Islamic Press that the government of Afghanistan would spare no effort in providing assistance to the Pakistani refugees. He said the Pakistanis had come from the Dattakhel area in North Waziristan. Terming the security situation as the main obstacle in providing relief goods to the affected people, Syedzai said: "We wanted to help them as soon as possible. But the security situation is not satisfactory in Khost province. Attacks are being frequently conducted on Khost City. Spera is a far-flung district in the province and the worsening security situation is also hindering efforts to assist the refugees." Syedzai expressed the hope that the World Food Programme (WFP) would also extend help to the refugees, adding that soldiers of the Afghan National Army had distributed food items among the Pakistani refugees. He alleged that Pakistani border forces were not allowing the people to migrate to Afghanistan but some still managed to cross the border. It may be added that earlier a large number of Pakistani tribal people crossed over to Afghanistan from the tribal areas of Bajaur, Kurram and South Waziristan to escape the fighting. Some of the displaced Pakistanis are still living in Kunar, Nuristan, Paktika and Khost provinces in Afghanistan. Pakistani authorities had denied reports that Pakistanis from Kurram Agency had taken refuge in Afghanistan but no denial was issued regarding the displaced Pakistani tribesmen from South Waziristan and Bajaur. |
| Posted by:Fred |