Arrest of Afghans in Peshawar Condemned

Arrest of Afghans in Peshawar condemned

Press Release

Executive Director Society for Rights and Development (SRD) Zar Ali Khan Musazai has condemned the illegal arrest of the Afghans in Peshawar and other parts of NWFP.

He said that Afghans are regularly arrested and tormented in Peshawar which is inhuman and this gesture of the provincial government and Police force will jeopardize the political atmosphere between two countries and People of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Peshawar Police has accelerated its campaign after the incidents of terrorism are on rise in metropolitan Peshawar but this is not the solution. When Police is unable to arrest the real culprits then it arrests the poor Afghans just to show its efficiency to control the crimes in its jurisdiction. Those police officials who are involved in such inhuman and anti-Afghan drive should immediately be stopped and concerned authority be directed not to do this criminal act of arresting the poor Afghans in Pakistan and especially Peshawar

The lack of legal status for Afghan refugees in Pakistan and NWFP has left them without any protection from harassment, extortion, and imprisonment by the Pakistani and NWFP Police. Stories of police harassment and extortion are very common among the Afghan refugees Some times Afghan refugees listening to radio or just walking on the pavement of the roads The police ask them for the papers and then take them into the police stations and hold them there.

Some times when the Afghans come to city to find a petty jobs for livelihood or sell some thing there like birds, vegetable etc. then they are demanded for the license or other documents which definitely they lack, then they are arrested and take them to the police stations.

When a refugee has not money to pay back to a police official in Peshawar or other parts of NWFP, he or she is beaten and charge under crimes and take to Police stations where they are intimidated and their rights are violated. Youth are suffered most and they are easily dociled to the intimidation of the brutality of Police. Such Afghan Youth who are arrested by Police are tortured brutally and most of the times they are molested and sexually assaulted by the cops.

Issued by

Zar Ali Khan Musazai

E.D

SRD

Peshawar,

0301-5963337