SWABI: As many as 12 Afghan nationals have been rounded up in a search operation in different areas of Swabi district for staying illegally. Confirming this, police sources told Dawn on Saturday that separate cases under the Foreign Act had been registered in different police stations against these Afghans who failed to produce valid documents of their stay.

They said that after Dec 16 attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar, it was for the first time that the district police registered cases under the Foreign Act against the detained Afghans.

There are two main Afghan refugee camps – Gandaf camp and Gohati camp, which is also known as Barakai camp – but a number of Afghans have been living in various urban and rural areas of the district. The cases have been registered against the detained Afghan nationals, at the police stations Kalu Khan, Tordher and Swabi city.

A police official said that some Afghan refugees who possessed valid documents had been released after investigations. The sources said that those picked up from Gohati camp included Mohammad Ali, Asad Khan, Mohammad Arif, Samiullah Khan and Nurullah Khan. The names of other nabbed Afghans could not be obtained.

The police sources said that the Afghans staying illegally would be sent to Afghanistan. They said that the search operation would continue in the district. They said that district police officer Sajjad Khan had asked the station house officers of all police stations and circle DSPs to remain vigilant and check the Afghans and other suspects.

SCHOOLS SECURITY: District police officer Sajjad Khan held a meeting with the principals and headmasters of the government schools and colleges and asked them to take adequate measures for security of the students while police would be ready to extend whatever help they needed.

The meeting was held in Maneri high school where the heads of educational institutions were briefed about the security measures which must be taken by them in view of the APS attack.

Written instructions issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police were also handed over to the principals and headmasters, and they were told that police would be on call to help them in case of any emergency. The heads of schools and colleges assured the police that they would take the required measures for the security of students. The private schools and colleges in the district have also been issued similar instructions. DSP of each circle has been asked to supervise the security situation.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play