KARACHI, April 27: All the Afghan refugees residing in Sindh, who had failed to get themselves registered by April 15, 2007, would be arrested, jailed and later deported to Afghanistan.

This was stated by Sindh Home Adviser Waseem Akhtar while addressing the executive committee and members of the North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI).

The adviser said that during a meeting of inspectors general of police from all the provinces held in Islamabad, it was decided that after the expiry of the last date as fixed by the government for registration of Afghan refugees, those who failed to comply, would be considered as illegal immigrants and arrested under the Foreign Act.

Mr Akhtar added that action under the Foreign Act would also be taken against those Afghan refugees involved in crimes declaring them unwanted persons so that after deportation they could not return. Illegal Afghan immigrants will not be spared even if they have obtained cards from the National Aliens Registration Authority (NARA), the adviser said.

The adviser was informed that groups of Afghan criminals used to operate in the industrial areas in an organised manner.

Mr Akhtar said that the North Karachi Industrial Area fell in the jurisdiction of three police stations but now the survey would be undertaken for bringing it in the jurisdiction of a single police station.

He directed the TPO concerned to increase police strength in Gabol Town in view of the increasing incidents of crime. He also announced four motorcycles for the police for patrolling in the area and asked the police for carrying out snap-checking and patrolling especially near banks.

The adviser also asked the industrialists to apply for arms licenses on the factories’ letterheads.

NWFP DELEGATION: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that there were more Pushtoons settled in Karachi than Peshawar.