CHITRAL: The participants of a multi-party conference (MPC) here on Monday demanded of federal government to delay repatriation of Chitral-based Afghan refugees for one year, keeping in view the ideal situation of law and order in the district and many other factors.

The event was chaired by president of Awami National Party Haji Eidul Hussain. Speakers told the conference that Chitral was one of the oldest hosting areas of Afghan refugees in 1979 when Soviet Union entered Afghanistan and there had been cordial relations between the two communities, who developed mutual trust and reliance.

They said that the people of Chitral were not in favour of repatriation of their Muslim brethren in haste to their war-ravaged homeland where they would face miseries and hardships.

They said that Afghans must be given additional time for return of normalcy to their country.

They said that Afghans were involved in business activities in Chitral in a large number and they were yet to settle their business deals with locals.

They said that their departure in haste would inflict financial losses on them.

The speakers included Advocate Abdul Wali Khan of PML-N, Maghfirat Shah and Wajeehud Din of Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Abdul Shakoor of JUI-F, Sharif Hussain and Syed Burhan Shah of PPP, Maulan Javed of Pakistan Raah-i- Haq Party, Noor Ahmed of traders union and Advocate Sarwar Kamal of district bar association.

Later on, the participants of MPC called on Lower Chitral Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hashim Azim and presented him the resolution of the conference for conveying it to federal government.

The resolution requested the government to delay the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Chitral on compassionate grounds.

The deputy commissioner assured them that he would try his best to convey their request to the quarters concerned. He appreciated their positive and empathetic approach.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025