Christians’ protest over eviction enters 4th day

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LANDI KOTAL, Oct 17: Christian families evicted from the army camp in Landi Kotal area continued protesting at Charwazgai Chowk for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday.

The Khyber Rifles authorities have refused to allow protesters to go to the camp houses.

Fanyas Masih, a spokesman for protesters, told Dawn that men had established a protest camp as female members of their families still lived in the camp.

“No one is ready to listen to our woes. The commandant of Khyber Rifles has refused to meet our delegation, while the political administration insists the matter is beyond its domain,” he said.

The spokesman said besides establishing a protest camp, the evicted families had also stopped cleaning Landi Kotal Bazaar and army camp.

“We are not entitled to any other government service nor could we own private property,” he said, adding that the affected families had no place to go after their expulsion from the camp.

Meanwhile, official sources said action against Christians was taken on security grounds.

“Many of them have taken up sanitation jobs across the border in Torkhum, Marko, Jalalabad and even Kabul and frequently go to Afghanistan although on legal documents,” the official said and adding that such activities by Christians living in army camp in Landi Kotal had aroused suspensions in the minds of Khyber Rifles bosses.

When contacted, Mr Masih confirmed that six to seven members of Christian community had taken up manual jobs in Afghanistan, while some had violated law by entering houses in the locality or making and selling liquor.

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