KP CM orders more facilities for Afghans at Landi Kotal transit point

KHYBER: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi on Saturday directed authorities to expand facilities at the Hamza Baba transit point in Landi Kotal to support the faster and dignified return of undocumented Afghan nationals to Afghanistan.

During his visit to the transit centre, the chief minister reviewed the arrangements and services in place and issued on-the-spot instructions to speed up the verification and registration process for returning Afghans.

He was accompanied by Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsud, MNA Iqbal Afridi, MPA Adnan Qadri and district administration officials. Afridi said the provincial government, working with the relevant departments, had arranged the best possible facilities at the transit point.

After hearing complaints from some of the returning Afghans, the chief minister said the centre was under heavy pressure because of the increasing number of people arriving there for repatriation. He said the provincial government was making every effort to provide maximum relief and facilities to Afghan nationals.

Afridi ordered the number of registration counters to be doubled from 20 to 40 so that congestion could be reduced and the verification process could move more quickly.

He also said the provincial government was committed to ensuring an honourable and dignified return for Afghans who had lived in the province for more than four decades.

Health concerns raised at transit centre

Meanwhile, local sources said health facilities at the transit point were insufficient for the growing number of sick Afghans seeking treatment and medicines.

According to local sources, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society has set up a health centre at the site, but it is facing a serious shortage of essential medicines. They also said non-local staff members were not attending regularly to their duties.

Local sources said many of the returning Afghans, especially children and women, were in urgent need of medical care. They said patients were suffering from diarrhoea, high fever, skin allergies, pneumonia, chest infection, soar-throat, vomiting and depression.

They added that some pregnant women had to be referred to the district headquarters hospital in Landi Kotal because there was no labour room facility at the transit point.

It was also learnt that a local youth welfare organisation had established a free medical camp outside the transit point, where five to six hundred Afghans were being provided free health services every day.

Local sources further complained that the Khyber district health officer had yet to extend any assistance to the returning Afghans. They also called on non-governmental organisations to set up more free camps for those in need.