PESHAWAR: Awami National Party has expressed concerns over raids on houses of Afghan nationals and described the harassment of Afghan women and children in the federal capital as a shameful act and asked for and an end it.

“Illegal raids are being carried out on the homes of Afghan citizens residing in Islamabad. This act is an attempt to evict Afghan citizens from Islamabad,” ANP central spokesperson Engineer Ehsanullah Khan said in a statement here on Wednesday.

Condemning the actions against Afghan citizens legally residing in the federal capital, he said that action was taken against them despite possessing legal documents. He said that it was blatant injustice.

He said that federal government was violating diplomatic norms and UNHCR agreements. “Awami National Party strongly condemns this ill-advised move by the federal government. Where is justice in harassing these innocent citizens to put pressure on the Afghan Taliban? These Afghan citizens have been forced to come to Pakistan after getting fed up with the conditions there. People in power in Afghanistan are the same people upon whose arrival Pakistan played a happy wedding,” said the ANP leader.

The state, he said, should resolve its issues with Afghan Taliban at a diplomatic level. “Such treatment of Afghans is violation of human rights. ANP demands that federal government should pay immediate attention to this serious matter,” he added.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2025