Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions Shehryar Afridi Wednesday said it is the government’s responsibility to respect every citizen of the country whereas they offer the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) to resolve issues through dialogue.
Addressing a press conference here flanked by SAFRON secretary, Afghan Commissionerate chief commissioner and other officials, he asserted that it is the time for Pakistan to illuminate after darkness. “Whoever will try to take the law in his own hands, will be dealt with strictly,” he warned.
Afridi said that slogans were never chanted against Pakistan in the history of Pashtoons. “If there is any sort of issue with them, then it can be peacefully resolved through dialogue. Pakistan is in safe hands now and it has a very bright future,” he maintained.
The minister expressed that the government will not have allowed Mohsin Dawar to submit his resolution about FATA’s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkwa if it had any ill intent against the PTM. Asked if the government will be ready to hold talks with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), the minister stated it is the responsibility of government to respect every Pakistani. “When I was the interior minister, I made Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir sit together for talks,” he said.
The minister said the federal government has released an unprecedented Rs 102 billion for the development of tribal regions of erstwhile FATA and massive development process is going to take place in the area. He said efforts are afoot to empower the tribal people. He said Rs 95 billion have been released for the development of the tribal districts and that more funds will also be released soon. Shehryar Afridi said Pakistan will commemorate year 2019 as 40 years of hospitality of the Afghan refugees. He said in this regard, a refugee convention will be held in June to tell the world the success story of generosity and sacrifices made by the Pakistani people for refugees.
The minister said Pakistan has been a host to millions of Afghan refugees for the last four decades in an unprecedented example of generosity and brotherhood that has been shown by Pakistan despite its financial restraints and meager resources. “During the 40 years of hospitality and sacrifices for refugees, there has been not even a single incident of conflict between refugees and Pakistani hosts despite differences in culture and lifestyle of people of two countries,” he said, adding that there are approximately three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan including more than 1.4 million registered population (POR card holders), 0.85 million newly documented Afghan citizen card holders and 0.5 million undocumented refugees. Afridi said Prime Minister Imran Khan has allowed opening of bank accounts by Afghan refugees in Pakistani banks as a goodwill gesture. He said maximum members of current Afghan cabinet have lived and studied in Pakistan.
