PESHAWAR, May 5: A high-level meeting in Peshawar on Saturday expressed the government’s resolve to evacuate the Kacha Gari and Jalozai camps in the province and send refugees back to Afghanistan for permanent settlement.

The meeting deliberated upon all aspects of the vacation plan and decided that no additional camp would be established.

Chief Secretary NWFP Sahibzada Riaz Noor said the provincial government had fully endorsed the federal government’s decision to evacuate the camps and deport the refugees.

Secretary of the Ministry for States and Frontier Regions Sajid Hussain Chatta said the federal government was determined to get the two camps evacuated serious about vacating the two refugee camps, adding that all necessary funds would be provided for the purpose. He said that the refugees would be repatriated to their country.

The meeting also cautioned property owners in the province to stop leasing houses to Afghan refugees.

The capital city police chief claimed that the ratio of street crimes had come down considerably with the recent repatriation of refugees to Afghanistan.

The meeting resolved that all unregistered refugees would be arrested and sent back to Afghanistan.

Secretary Home Bacha Gul Wazir, Chief Commissioner Afghan refugees Rauf Khan, Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Joint Director IB Ihsan Ghani and other high-ranking civil and military officers attended the meeting.—APP