20000131

All set for crackdown on 50,000 illegal Afghan DPs in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: On a special directive from the interior ministry to check the growing rate of crime in Islamabad, the police have begun the listing of Afghan refugees, living in and around here illegally.

"The step is being taken in view of the increasing crime rate after the illegal settlement of Afghan refugees," an Islamabad Territory Police officer said here on Sunday, confirming the compilation of lists of the refugees.

"The complete record will be sent to the Interior Ministry, before we start forced eviction of the refugees," he said. "After the illegal settlement of Afghan refugees in the city, the cases of attempted murder, rape, kidnapping and robberies have increased manifold." The police officer said that mostly Afghan refugees were found involved in various crimes in and around Islamabad.

He revealed that less than 4,000 Afghan refugees are staying in Islamabad legally, while the number of illegal settlers is well above 50,000.

"We have received a comprehensive crimes survey report about the capital city, compiled by the police last year," an official in the Ministry of Interior said. "The graph of heinous crimes in the city went up dramatically after 1981," he quoted from the report.

According to the report, only 23 persons were murdered in the city in 1981 whereas in 1998, the number touched 88, showing a staggering increase of 380 percent.

It says that as compared to 1981, the rate of crimes like attempted murder, rape and kidnapping went up by 235 percent in 1998.

"As compared to 1981, the number of theft and robbery cases also shot up by 556 percent in 1998," the report says. "In most of the crimes during the period between 1981 and 1998, Afghan refugees have been found involved." "It has been pointed out in the report that due to its geographical location, less that 20 minutes are needed to flee from the city after committing a crime," the official added.-Internews