CHARSADDA: Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has said instead of taking decisions ‘behind the closed doors’ in Islamabad regarding Afghan refugees’ deportation’ the government should have taken Pakhtun leaders into confidence to seek a viable solution to the lingering issue.

Speaking at ‘Meet the Press’ programme of Mohammadzai Union of Journalists here on Sunday, he also expressed his anger over the atrocities inflicted on innocent Palestinians. He urged all Muslim countries, including Pakistan, to take a strong stand against massacre of Palestinians, including children and women, in Ghaza.

Mr Sherpao said Israel and its allies had violated international norms by bombing innocent Palestinian children, women and elders, and not even sparing hospitals and mosques.

He said role of the United Nations was also ineffective. He emphasised the need for material aid on humanitarian grounds for the helpless Palestinians.

Insists decision taken behind closed doors in Islamabad

About evacuation of ‘illegal Afghans’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rest of the country, the QWP chief claimed the caretaker government took the decision sitting in closed rooms in Islamabad without consulting the Pakhtun leaders belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. He said ‘illegal immigrants’ should be expelled from the country, but consultations with Pakhtun leaders in both the provinces would help resolve the issue amicably.

He said even former Afghan governments of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani had invited Pakhtun leaders to Afghanistan for mutual consultation regarding settlement of refugees. He said although a few days had left in the timeframe set for evacuating ‘illegal Afghans’, the government needed to extend the deadline.

Mr Sherpao said good relations between the two neighbouring countries were in the interest of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. He stressed the need for promoting bilateral trade. He said issues of border management and the outlawed

Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan were the bones of contention between Pakistan and Afghanistan, so they needed immediate solution.

Mr Sherpao said timely general elections in the country were vital to resolve all the problems, including law and order. He said inflation was the main reason for deteriorating law and order situation in the country. He said political stability in the country guaranteed economic stability.

He said if all the political parties were not given equal opportunities, the results of the coming elections would be doubtful.

The QWP chief said due to reduction in the number of National Assembly seats in the province in the new digital delimitation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would suffer in terms of resources.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023