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| October 20, 2001 | Saturday | Shaba'an 2, 1422 |
Fresh wave of DPs enters Pakistan
QUETTA, Oct 19: A fresh wave of refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan and the worsening law and order situation in Quetta is forcing Balochistan government to seek more funds from Islamabad to meet the cost of contingency plan now being drawn up after the US air raids on Afghanistan.
Balochistan’s senior minister Agha Abdul Qadir Baloch confirmed that the provincial government was seeking additional funds from Islamabad but was unable to quantify the amount. “We are in process of drawing up a contingency plan” he informed this correspondent on Friday morning stating that full need of additional funds would be quantified later.
Officials say that it was difficult to prepare a full and final contingency plan as situation changes every day. There would be a need to constantly review and update any such plan and with this review the funds requirement would also change.
Border guards at Chaman check post report that with the intensification of US air raids during last three days in Kandahar and nearby areas in Afghanistan the volume of refugees entering Pakistan has risen beyond 2,000 to 3,500 a day. A telephonic conversation with border guards at Chaman revealed that quite a big number of Afghans have assembled near the check post.
When they were stopped from entering Pakistan they started pelting stones. Situation has normalised but there are fears of influx of refugees gathering momentum next week if US backed Northern Alliance makes further advances and there is further intensification in air bombing.
About 600 Afghans are reported to have crossed into Pakistan through Chaman on October 9. The border was closed down on October 10 and even humanitarian cases were denied.. On October 12 over 1,000 refugees arrived and has since been constantly increasing.
Balochistan government confronted a serious law and order problem on October 8, a day after the US launched its air raids. About a dozen banks were burnt down, government and private property was set on fire, three cinema halls and many shops were badly damaged. Situation worsened further a day after on October 9 when Kuchlak railway station was burnt down and government record was set on fire.
Since October 8 police and Frontier Corpse are constantly patrolling Quetta. “This patrolling is an extra burden on our limited resources” Agha Abdul Qadir said. He said that Balochistan’s budget has no fiscal space to meet this incremental expenditure.
Officials say that Islamabad has dropped hint of providing extra funds after the foreign donors release the promised funds. Islamabad expect funds from USA, Britain, Japan, EU and some other agencies to meet the situation.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) finds the number of people crossing into Balochistan through the Chaman crossing or informal routes nearby erratic. “The official border crossing is sometimes firmly closed to everyone, as it was on Friday, sometimes it is open to people with valid documents and humanitarian cases. Humanitarian cases are sick, pregnant women and elderly persons.
National Identity Cards (NIC) and even photostat copies of NIC are being taken as valid documents to allow Afghans to enter Pakistan territory.
According to UNHCR there are six or seven known entry points on Pakistan-Afghan border in Balochistan and there are several other points which are unknown.
The UNHCR has reported human smuggling by organised networks in Afghanistan. It reported the last known price for the journey from Kandahar to Quetta was Rs 1,000 a person.
A large number of those arriving from non conventional entry points into Pakistan do not get themselves registered with the UNHCR for fear of getting arrested. “I have no idea if there is any unusual influx of refugees from Afghanistan” Jalal Mandokhel, Afghan Refugees Commissioner in Balochistan government informed this correspondent on telephone. He blamed media for creating a hype on refugee influx issue. When told that UNHCR is reporting an unusual rise in refugees influx he said “we know only those who are registered with us”.
An initial contingency plan identifies six sites to lodge refugees from Afghanistan. Three are Tor Tongi and Roghani in the Chaman area and Pishook in Chaghi district which appear to be viable and satisfactory sites so far as bare minimum infrastructure facilities are concerned. Darra is the fourth such venue which would be able to accommodate a small number of refugees. Two other possible venues are Badini and Loyband located a long way north of Quetta.
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