PESHAWAR, Oct 24: Awami National Party has demanded opening of the border to help reduce miseries of the Afghan families starnded at the border, seeking refugee in Pakistan.

“It is quite ironic that during the early years of Russian invasion Afghans were allowed to take refuge in Pakistan, but now when Afghanistan has been completely destroyed by the so-called Jihad the displaced families fleeing US attacks are not being allowed entry into Pakistan,” said provincial ANP president Begum Nasim Wali Khan in a statement on Tuesday.

She criticized the government policy on the refugee issue and took exception to the “high-handedness” of security personnel in Chaman where Afghans were beaten back to their side of the border.

The ANP leader said that in a situation when the US-led allied forces were pounding Afghanistan, the world community should come forward to provide humanitarian assistance to the people fleeing the war-torn country.