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| September 8, 2005 | Thursday | Sha’aban 3, 1426 |
Refugees ransack validation centre
PESHAWAR, Sept 7: Afghan refugees ransacked the IRIS validation centre of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Hayatabad on Wednesday evening, following rumours that seven children were killed when a shed at the centre collapsed.
Seven Afghans, including three women, were injured when the shed collapsed at the UNHCR IRIS validation centre for repatriation of refugees in Peshawar.
But the rumour about children’s death angered Afghan refugees who had come from Islamabad’s slum area and were waiting for their turn to go back to their country.
Eyewitnesses said that around 250 refugees gathered and blocked the main Jamrud Road leading to Afghanistan and blocked it for some time to protest against the incident.
Later the mob went to the validation centre and ransacked the computer system and furnitures, they said.
Some people said that the mob had also manhandled the security staff. However, a senior police official denied the report and said that the refugees had only ransacked the UNHCR office established in another nearby shed.
Officials said that the Afghans, who had been evacuated from the capital territory were waiting at the centre to obtain verification documents before proceeding to their country.
Witnesses said that the shed collapsed due to heavy rain, which lashed Peshawar and the wounded were shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex.
The wounded have been identified as Ibrahim, Gulab Khan, Munawar, Qudsia, Zergara, Perveen Gul and Mian Rehman. After treatment they were discharged from the hospital.
RAIN: Provincial capital and its surrounding areas received heavy rain, which started early in the morning, breaking hot and humid spell. The entire area is under the grip of rain for the last one week.
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