ABBOTTABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has shown serious reservations about hasty repatriation of Afghan refugees, saying that the way they are being sent back is the worst example of ‘cruelty’.

The JUI-f chief asked that if there was peace in Afghanistan then why not the US and allied forces were leaving it. He said that Afghanistan was still in a war-like situation and there was bloodshed all around due to wrong policies of the US and its allies.

Mr Rehman said this while addressing a workers convention here at Abbottabad on Wednesday in connection with preparation for 100 years celebrations of JUI-F to be held in Peshawar.

He said that Pakistan was facing war on different fronts. He stressed upon the nation to be united and fight against all evils of the society with full force. Currently, the enemies of Islam are bent on imposing their own agenda, he said, adding the US would never succeed in making itself the only super power.

About the government’s policy regarding sending back Afghan nationals, he said that they were our “guests” and “brothers” so they should be treated well and be repatriated with dignity and respect. He said that still over two million registered and 1.5 million unregistered Afghans were living in Pakistan. He regretted that ‘our 40-year hospitality is going to be ruined if forceful repatriation of Afghans continued’.

The JUI-F chief suggested that the issue of repatriation of Afghans should be settled politically and by using diplomatic channels.

He lashed out at the PTI-led coalition government in the province and said that it had failed to deliver and mitigate miseries of people.

Mr Rehman expressed concern over the miseries of internally displaced persons from tribal areas. He said that though majority of IDPs had been repatriated to their native towns in tribal areas, they were spending miserable time because they had not been provided with proper facilities.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2016