Pashtunkhwa data on Afghan refugees proved wrong

[Admin Khan]

The government of Khyber Pakhton Khwa (KPK) government had exaggerated, lied and hid the fact over Afghan refugees’ involvement in criminal activities, a media report said on Sunday

Contrary to the widespread notion of massive involvement of Afghan refugees in major crimes, a study has revealed that they constitute just over one per cent of those found to have been involved in offences deemed heinous, according to dawn.

Documents retrieved through the Khyber Pakhton khwa Right to Information Act, 2013 provide startling details of crime statistics involving Afghan refugees that run contrary to the claims often peddled by the civil law enforcement agencies.

These documents were obtained from the Khyber Pakhton khwa government’s Directorate of Prosecution and Department of Police to cross-check and corroborate the statistics.

The statistics obtained pertain to the period from 2014 to Sept 30, 2016, and involve major crimes including kidnapping for ransom, kidnapping and abduction, murder, robbery, extortion and bombing.

According to the Directorate of Prosecution, a total of 11,685 cases were registered during the period, out of which 10,549 were put up in court. Out of these, only 134 involved Afghan refugees. This comes to 1.27 per cent of the total number of cases landing in court.

The cases involved 23,007 accused, of which only 300 were Afghan refugees. Thus, the percentage of Afghan refugees accused of the said crimes comes to 1.3pc.

The statistics fly in the face of claims often bandied about by the civil law enforcement agencies, which routinely blame Afghan refugees for the spike in crimes across the province.

Before the escalation of militancy in the region and even after it, police would often blame Afghan refugees for some of the heinous crimes, including kidnapping for ransom, extortion and bombing.


KPK prosecution data on Afghan refugees proved wrong | Pajhwok Afghan News

[Elite Pakhtun]

Afghan government cozying up to India, in a manner threatening to Pakistan, is ultimately punishing the refugees in Pakistan, who for the most part may have a better livelihood there than within Afghanistan itself. The porous border was used as a conduit to conduct proxy attacks, such as the infamous APS incident, where the culprit was found to be in Afghanistan. That was a bit of a catalyst. I know the area where the attack took place.

Many of the refugees in Pakistan are hard working, although admittedly, sometimes they can have a poor reputation. For some reason, the reputation is particularly poor with regards to "Kabulis".

[toughpashtun]

Afghan government cozying up to India, in a manner threatening to Pakistan, is ultimately punishing the refugees in Pakistan, who for the most part may have a better livelihood there than within Afghanistan itself. The porous border was used as a conduit to conduct proxy attacks, such as the infamous APS incident, where the culprit was found to be in Afghanistan. That was a bit of a catalyst. I know the area where the attack took place.

Many of the refugees in Pakistan are hard working, although admittedly, sometimes they can have a poor reputation. For some reason, the reputation is particularly poor with regards to "Kabulis".

The govt did not crack down on Afghan refugees until after the APS attack.It is also thought that terrorists from Afghanistan enter Pakistan in the guise of refugees and then do their job.To me it seems that the current KPK govt wants to rid the province of refugees hence they are coming up with distorted and/or exxagerated facts and figures to help them accomplish their goal.

[DaZahroJaam.]

How else would try justify raiding people's homes and taking away their women in "special military operations". If Pathans had any ghairat left in them, they would smarten up and wipe out Pakistan from the map instead of celebrating "Independence Day" every 14th of August.

[Elite Pakhtun]

What's "raising oeiok s"?

While we're at it, what's this thing about taking away their women?

[Peacelove]

LOL at people delusions..No body is taking women in operation..Such a peaceful people of afghanistan commenting about Afghanistan..I think pakistan should give nationality to all refugees after taking oath and then closed the border completely with afghnistan..For next 30 40 years forget that we have neighbor with name afghanistan.
Pure jealousy is visible they just want to wipe out pakistan and ask us to fight against pakistan to make our life hell and convert pakistan into afghanistan also..No we won't do this.
Its time for Afghanistan to show GHAIRAT, a little bit at least to request the foreign US army kafir troops to leave afghanistan... Easy to talk about this Ghairat when tummy is full.

[~Zarlakhta~]

I think any human with a little brain would know the real reason behind Afghan refugees departures: and it's NOT us being the cause of growing terrorism, nor our closer ties with India which was always there. The American aid poured in in lesser amounts, the less the amount got the more excuses the government needed to speak up for their failures. Solution? Repatriation of Afghan refugees as this should make at least half the Pakistani nation believe that Afghans truly are reason of Pakistan's miseries.

We live in a delusional world where we depend on media and some illiterate officials. How many of us do research on specific incidents and try to get to the bottom of why a particular incident takes place? Not many, right? We've got the resources to get better educated but either not the brain, or the energy. The world is happier when delusional rather than informed.

[~Zarlakhta~]

American aid is for military or civilian development. If what you're saying is true, why weren't they kicked out in the late 90s when pakistan had sanctions on them?

Is that question directed at me? If so then the funds were only postponed to Pakistani government, NOT reduced not terminated. Following 9/11, aid increased in big numbers. What exactly the aid was for is a different story altogether, but civilian presence had always been heavily funded for by Americans and the UN and I can't remember the aid/fund being used for refugees' development?

[Elite Pakhtun]

Is that question directed at me? If so then the funds were only postponed to Pakistani government, NOT reduced not terminated. Following 9/11, aid increased in big numbers. What exactly the aid was for is a different story altogether, but civilian presence had always been heavily funded for by Americans and the UN and I can't remember the aid/fund being used for refugees' development?

It was directed at you. Many refugees are still in pakistan today.

Are you saying economic sanctions in 90s were funds being held until further notice?

[~Zarlakhta~]

It was directed at you. Many refugees are still in pakistan today.

Are you saying economic sanctions in 90s were funds being held until further notice?

Partly, yes. It took Bhutto's request in late '90's for the American government to lift many sanctions, and propose new multimillion Dollar assistance to Pakistani government.

Besides, Pakistani government was running majority of Afghanistan through the Taliban late '90s anyway. Whether Afghan refugees stayed at this side of the border or the other, it made little to no difference to Pakistani government. Political wise, finance wise, or else wise. Aid or no aid, the money was never used for refugees development anyway and this is why I never understood why so many Pakistanis innocently believe Afghans are a major reason of economic burden on Pakistan. Khair.

[Elite Pakhtun]

Partly, yes. It took Bhutto's request in late '90's for the American government to lift many sanctions, and propose new multimillion Dollar assistance to Pakistani government.

Besides, Pakistani government was running majority of Afghanistan through the Taliban late '90s anyway. Whether Afghan refugees stayed at this side of the border or the other, it made little to no difference to Pakistani government. Political wise, finance wise, or else wise. Aid or no aid, the money was never used for refugees development anyway and this is why I never understood why so many Pakistanis innocently believe Afghans are a major reason of economic burden on Pakistan. Khair.

The Pakistanis who claim the Economic burden thing are probably racist punjabis. What is a legitimate concern is the crime issue, and terrorism. OP's thread shows the concern may be exhagerated, but people like umar narai do not help.

The sanctions I'm talking about are the serious ones post nuclear test in 97.

[~Zarlakhta~]

The Pakistanis who claim the Economic burden thing are probably racist punjabis. What is a legitimate concern is the crime issue, and terrorism. OP's thread shows the concern may be exhagerated, but people like umar narai do not help.

The sanctions I'm talking about are the serious ones post nuclear test in 97.

Crimes happen everywhere, and criminals get put to justice for that. If an entire ethnic group should pay price of a few criminals, then Europe today would have been free to migrants from the East. Like-wise for terrorism stricter border controls are a solution, even fencing the borders are solutions. Terrorists are not hidden among the ordinary refugees in tents or poorer conditions. My point being is that the biggest problem Pakistan is facing are NOT Afghan refugees and their activities a lot of times is being exaggerated to the extend we're portrayed as bunch of unthankful, Hindu loving *******s. But the other side, and clearer side, of the coin is never brought in lime light is it?

As for your last line, I'm not sure what that's got to do with aid for the refugees's presence, or lack of it?

[Elite Pakhtun]

Crimes happen everywhere, and criminals get put to justice for that. If an entire ethnic group should pay price of a few criminals, then Europe today would have been free to migrants from the East. Like-wise for terrorism stricter border controls are a solution, even fencing the borders are solutions. Terrorists are not hidden among the ordinary refugees in tents or poorer conditions. My point being is that the biggest problem Pakistan is facing are NOT Afghan refugees and their activities a lot of times is being exaggerated to the extend we're portrayed as bunch of unthankful, Hindu loving *******s. But the other side, and clearer side, of the coin is never brought in lime light is it?

It's not an entire ethnic group, but rather a nationality i.e. based on person's country of origin. As we know, most Afghans are Pashtun. Those who have integrated, set up businesses, etc, are impossible to detect. I agree they should not be blamed. I am just saying, there is concern about terrorism, and crime. I also agreed that OP has proven it is exaggerated, but a few notable events were the equivalent to a "tipping point".

As for your last line, I'm not sure what that's got to do with aid for the refugees's presence, or lack of it?

You said Pak doesn't want to deal with refugees because of money tap drying up. I'm saying, money tap dried up already, at serious levels of dryness too. Post 97 sanctions were not fun. Despite that, nothing happened to Afghan refugees. So your theory doesn't hold up in the past.

I'm speculating that is because there was no issue of terrorism (or it was basically negligible) at the time.

Also, as predicted by most people here... most refugees are still in Pakistan.

[~Zarlakhta~]

It's not an entire ethnic group, but rather a nationality i.e. based on person's country of origin. As we know, most Afghans are Pashtun. Those who have integrated, set up businesses, etc, are impossible to detect. I agree they should not be blamed. I am just saying, there is concern about terrorism, and crime. I also agreed that OP has proven it is exaggerated, but a few notable events were the equivalent to a "tipping point".



You said Pak doesn't want to deal with refugees because of money tap drying up. I'm saying, money tap dried up already, at serious levels of dryness too. Post 97 sanctions were not fun. Despite that, nothing happened to Afghan refugees. So your theory doesn't hold up in the past.

I'm speculating that is because there was no issue of terrorism (or it was basically negligible) at the time.

Also, as predicted by most people here... most refugees are still in Pakistan.

Ethnic, nationality, etc. I was hoping you got the gist but hey. Many Afghan refugees born in Pakistan over the decades don't even own Afghan nationality per se that's the issue. Those that have been able to afford Pakistani citizenship are mostly wealthy enough to stabilise businesses, so it doesn't make sense to deport the wealthy and educated ones anyway.

As for the late '90s events, I repeat: Afghanistan was under Pakistan's control either way. Deporting the refugees or not meant nothing at all because they weren't economical burden on Pakistan back then, nor are they now. Afghan refugees have been there for decades, if they didn't carry out terrorist attacks back then why would they go ballistic now 3/4 decades later?

[Elite Pakhtun]

As for the late '90s events, I repeat: Afghanistan was under Pakistan's control either way. Deporting the refugees or not meant nothing at all because they weren't economical burden on Pakistan back then, nor are they now. Afghan refugees have been there for decades, if they didn't carry out terrorist attacks back then why would they go ballistic now 3/4 decades later?

Because of NATO invasion. Also because with reduced taliban power, hostile countries like India may want to try their luck as well.

Although a lot of the attacks are probably from those within Pakistan's borders as well.