CHAMAN, Oct 24: Taliban authorities are returning the weapons they collected from civilians as part of their de-weaponization campaign in 1995 and 1996.
Taliban are dropping hints to young and able-bodied civilians that they would be drafted into the forces, which are resisting US air strikes and ground troops in Afghanistan.
Asadullah, an agriculture worker of the Kandahar city, came to a checkpost of the Chaman border with his ailing wife on Wednesday.
Talking to this correspondent, through an interpreter, he said Taliban were keen to hold back Afghans, who were fleeing the war.
About 500 to 700 shelter-seeking Afghans are stranded at Spinbuldak near Chaman, 20km inside Afghanistan.
“They (Taliban) are coming to our homes to tell us that we should stay back and join them to fight invaders”, he said, and added that Taliban had installed anti-aircraft guns on the rooftops of some houses in the residential areas of Kandahar and some other private residences had been used as warehouses of weapons and ammunitions.
Asad said his wife suffered from some stomach ailment and that he had come to Chaman to take medicines. “There are neither doctors nor medicines in Kandhahar”, he said, adding that he had left behind his two children with his relatives.
Mohammad Zareef, also an agricultural worker, brought his two-month pregnant wife to Chaman. His wife was bleeding and was seen by Dr Janan of the Muslim Hands International camp set up within the checkpost premesis.
Zareef said a big chunk of the Kandahar population had left the city and bazaars and streets were wearing a deserted look. “But there is no shortage of food”, he said.
His wife was suggested a DNC and had to be taken to the Chaman Civil Hospital. Zareef, too, left his children back in his home near Kandahar with some relatives.
The camp staff were planning to give Rs1,500 to Zareef, who had no money for the treatment of his wife.
The Muslim Hands International is a UK-based NGO formed by the Muslims from many countries. It set up a camp at the Chaman border about five days ago and received 27 patients till Wednesday noon. Nine of them were injured in bomb blasts.
Meanwhile, Pakistan authorities reorganized border troops deployment to stop the influx of Afghan refugees.
An officer of the border security forces told Dawn that 1,600 guards had been deployed to keep a strict vigil on a 40-mile area on both side of the Chaman checkpost.
“We deported about 350 Afghans, including women and children, on Tuesday”, the officer said and added that a large number of the refugees, who had forced their way into Pakistan had been rounded up in the Chaman city and on the highway that led to Quetta.
The 126-km-long road from Quetta to Chaman has now nine checkposts, where armed guards check all vehicles, including bus, wagon and cars.
