ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: The capital administration on Thursday gave final notice to Afghan refugees in Islamabad for removal of their settlement in I-11/1, which was established about 25 years ago.

This was informed in a meeting presided over by chief commissioner Islamabad. Senior officials of the administration and Capital Development Authority were also present.

One of the participants of the meeting told Dawn that it had been decided that law-enforcement agencies would have to use force to remove the Afghan settlement.

The final notice was served on the refugees after the government set a deadline of September 1 to relocate three Afghan refugee camps located in Islamabad, Kurram Agency and Bajaur Agency.

The meeting was informed that over 1,000 mud houses had been established in the settlement and the number of Afghan refugees in the capital was stated to be 100,000.

It is for the first time that the government has taken a serious initiative to remove the refugee camps in the capital and two other places in the country.

The official said the government had already intimated President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad about removal of the camps and repatriation of the refugees.

A source in the CDA said many operations had already been conducted for the removal of the Afghan Basti, but due to lack of political will all such efforts remained futile.

The source said a large number of Afghan refugees had been repatriated under a scheme of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

The land of the Afghan settlement was allotted to the people in the late 70s but they could not get possession due to refugees’ settlement.

According to the government decision, the shifting of Afghan camps would be completed by September 1.

Those Afghans who voluntarily want to go back to their homeland would be repatriated while others would be shifted to other places.

The relocation of the refugee camps is stated to be done due to security reasons. “Afghans living in sector I-11 would be shifted to Kot Chandana in Mianwali if they did not repatriate to Afghanistan within the set deadline,” he added.

The relocation and repatriation process is being followed strictly under the tripartite accord which expires in March 2006.