KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): A number of Meshrano Jirga members on Wednesday confirmed Pakistani families who fled North Waziristan tribal region to southeastern Khost province in the wake of an ongoing military offensive had brought no weapons.
Led by Senate committee on international relations head, the nine-member upper house delegation held talks in detail with military and civil officials in Khost and Afghan families hosting the displaced Pakistani families for four days.
A member of the delegation, Senator Mohammad Ariz told Pajhwok Afghan News the provincial officials and the host families had assured them that the refugees carried no weapons.
“We have detailed discussions with Khost governor, police chief, military commanders and other government officials, tribal elders and the refugee families and it revealed on us that the displaced families are armless,” the lawmaker said.
He said a few families carried small arms like pistols for self-defence but posed no threat to the security situation in the province.
Senator Najiba Hussaini told Pajhwok Afghan News the presence of armed individuals among the Wazirisani families could not be proven keeping in view their situation.
She said they closely observed the displaced families and found them in deep trouble — desperate for one time meal. “How can they pose a security threat,” the lawmaker asked.
“The refugees are completely harmless both for Afghanistan. Security officials told us they are keeping a strict vigil on the refugee families,” the upper house member from central Daikundi province said.
She rejected as baseless Pakistani claims that militants had entered Afghanistan in the guise of displaced families.
“We reject that armed militants have taken refuge in Afghanistan. It is possible they have been hiding somewhere in the mountains of the border region but it is also a matter of concern and the central government should investigate the issue,” she said.
Senator Arifullah Pashtun to Afghanistan under international norms.
He suggested the refugee families should be kept under observation to foil attempts by militants to use them against Pakistan.
Pashtun called on the central government, the Afghan Red Crescent Society and foreign donor agencies to provide food and non-food items to the displaced families on emergency footing.
Some local media reports had earlier alleged that the families from Waziristan had carried heavy and light weapons with them to Afghanistan.
Khost governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi had rejected the reports, saying the families were allowed to enter Afghanistan after repeatedly searched at various check-points. The refugee families also deny during talks with Pajhwok Afghan News possessing guns.
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