KARACHI, Nov 8: The federal minister for communications and railways, Javed Ashraf, on Thursday criticized the foreigner Muslims, such as the Afghan refugees, for destroying or damaging public property in Pakistan.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day 2nd International Civil Engineering Congress, organized by the 53- year-old Institution of Engineers, Pakistan, the minister observed that it was often forgotten that Pakistan had been created for the Muslims of the subcontinent. It had not been, as erroneously believed, created for the Muslims of the entire world, he added.

Explaining his point of view, Mr Ashraf said that a large number of foreigner Muslims lived on Pakistan soil who tried to destroy the civic infrastructure of the country and peddled drugs.

He said it was a pity that while Pakistan had always helped Afghanistan, no Kabul government, not excepting the Taliban, had recoginzed the Durand Line.

He added that while a large number of Afghan refugees were present on in the country without visas and passports, some Pakistani boys from Peshawar had been arrested by the Kabul government in Afghanistan for not possessing visas.

The minister also criticized those politico-religious parties who had egged on people to resort to violence in the wake of the Oct 7 US-led military strikes against Afghanistan. “Some friendly countries left their development projects on grounds of security,” he deplored. He added that violent demonstrations also scared away foreign investment.

He said the policy of the Musharraf government towards Afghanistan after Sept 11 was “in the national interest”.

The IEP chairman, Khalid R. Quraishi, advised the government to attach due weight to the opinion and concerns of the engineers. “The government must consult and invite the members of the engineering community in a similar manner as intellectuals, doctors, lawyers, etc,” he suggested.

A large number of delegates are taking part in the 2nd civil engineering congress. They come from almost all the national engineering institutes, such as the NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Jamshoro, the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, and the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar.