LAHORE: Elders of Afghan refugees living here for over three decades have suggested they may be given citizenship of Pakistan because of the close ties they have made here during their prolonged stay.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said this while speaking at a function here on Sunday arranged by PML-N media coordinated Muhammad Mehdi.

He also said that all stakeholders were consulted before finalising reforms for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

He said the Afghan refugees’ elders argued that as they had been living here for more than three decades, they developed relationships with locals through inter-marriages and they might be considered for citizenship like in Europe where a resident might get such status after living there for five years.

Quoting the Afghan elders, Mr Jhagra said they at least seek citizenship for those refugees against whom there was no complaint of misconduct or crime.

He said the refugees also requested for grant of a “grace period” before their repatriation so that they could wound up their businesses here.

To a question, he said the border management system was introduced after some elements who were against good relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan created a tense situation on the Torkham border by killing two Rangers personnel there. The system, he added, helped a lot in checking cross-border movement of the militants.

About the FATA reforms, Mr Jhagra said Maliks, tribal elders, youth, political parties and parliamentarians from tribal agencies, as well as media representatives were duly consulted in separate meetings by a special committee led by Mr Sartaj Aziz before submitting its report to the prime minister.

He said the stakeholders were given four options – making FATA an independent province, merging the area with KP, a Gilgit-Baltistan style status or maintaining the status quo.

The majority, he said, was in favour of FATA’s merger with the KP with the condition that the FCR should be changed, maintaining the tradition of Jirga.

Responding to a question, the governor said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had demanded referendum to decide the fate of FATA, but the JUI-F chief was told that it could open Pandora’s box as such demands would also been made in Hazara, south Punjab and Sindh, etc.

Mr Jhagra claimed that all reservations of the PTI-led KP government regarding China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had been allayed and now the (KP) chief minister was attending all meetings on the mega project.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2017