PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to expel all the Afghan prayer leaders staying illegally in the province.

An official source said that the decision had been taken following reports about involvement of the Afghan nationals in terrorist acts, especially in the provincial metropolis.

Talking to Dawn on the condition of anonymity, he said that there were over 1,000 Afghanis who were prayer leaders or assistants (moazin) in different mosques, but many of them had got valid documents while the rest were without official identity cards.

The government would expel around 294 prayer leaders, the official said, adding that the decision had been taken on the basis of a survey which was discussed in the meetings of high-ranking officials. He said that security agencies had collected the bio-data of all the illegal Afghans and they would be deported at all costs under 14 Foreign Act. He said that the Afghan nationals, who had valid documents and running various businesses, would continue to stay.

“The prayer leaders have managed to develop links with local people and thus the local elders are supporting them, but we will follow the government decision,” said an official of Peshtakhara police station.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police claimed to have arrested some 574 suspected persons and recovered weapons from them during the ongoing search and strike operation in the province against criminals and anti-social elements on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A police spokesman said that raids had been conducted in parts of the province and police recovered 23 arms and ammunition of different kind. During the operation 474 houses and 227 hotels were checked and three cases were registered against the violators.

He said that the police had also detained 65 Afghan nationals and cases against them were registered at different police stations. Seven persons were arrested for illegal use of loudspeaker and cases registered against them. It was added that three suspected terrorists identified as Abdurl Rauf of Chandan Ghari, Asif of Dera Ismail Khan and Baseer of Qureshiabad, Kohat, had been arrested during raids in different areas.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2015

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