MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government with the financial assistance of Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Safron) would relocate three Afghan refugee camps, coming in the way of Hazara motorway, in Mansehra.

The motorway is being built under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Officials said that provincial government had taken the issue of the camps with Safron on which the latter decided that Kahaki, Sheikhabad and Ichrian Afghan refugee camps would be relocated to somewhere else in the district.

Currently at total of 3,889 Afghan families, making a total population of 22,748 people, are living in the three camps in district.

Over 22,000 Afghans living in the district

Khaki Afghan refugees camp, according to official record, has been hosting as many as 1,178 families consisting of 11,409 individuals. The Sheikabad camp has 1,031 families comprising 5,848 individuals and Ichrian camp has 1,079 families of 5,491 people.

Sources said that relocation process of the camps would be started by July 20 and the entire cost incurring on it would be borne by Safron that would acquire land and build makeshift infrastructure for the refugees.

Work on Hassanabdal-Thankot motorway is in progress and these camps are coming either directly in its way or at a little distance from it. A graveyard near Sheikhabad camp has recently been relocated to another place.

“I have yet to receive any official intimation about relocating of these three Afghan refugee camps,” said Naeem Shahzad Khan, the district administrator for Afghan refugees settled in Mansehra.

The district administration has already imposed Section 144 of CrPC to ban sale and purchase of land alongside CPAC in Mansehra.

KILLED: A woman was allegedly shot dead by her husband for being issueless while four other persons were killed in road accidents in Balakot on Wednesday.

Police said that Mohammad Sheraz, a resident of Ganda area, used to quarrel with his wife for being issueless. He exchanged harsh words with his wife over the same issue and fired at her as a result of which she died instantly, they added.

In another incident near Kapi Galli, the driver of a Gilgit-Baltistan bound motorcar lost control over the steering and the vehicle fell into the Kunhar River. An army Subedar, Mohammad Shahid, and driver Zahid were killed in the accident while a woman sustained injuries. She was taken to civil hospital in Balakot from where doctors referred her to CMH Abbottabad.

In Shawal Mazullah area, a Mansehra bound car overturned and as a result Mohammad Shakoor and Marium Bibi sustained critical injures. They were rushed to civil hospital where doctors pronounced them dead.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2017