SWABI: The district administration has sealed all shops operating inside Barkai Refugee Camp following the government’s decision to withdraw the camp’s official status, officials said on Tuesday. Assistant Commissioner Headquarters Alina Shakeel visited the camp in connection with the ongoing voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees.
During the visit, authorities sealed commercial outlets and initiated implementation of orders regarding the camp’s administrative and legal closure.Assistant Commissioner Alina Shakeel informed the Afghan refugees that the government had formally terminated the official status of Barkai Camp.
She urged all Afghan refugees residing there to cooperate with authorities and participate in the voluntary repatriation process in accordance with government policy. She emphasized that the district administration was ensuring strict implementation of the government’s directives and warned that any violations would not be tolerated.
Officials maintained that the repatriation process would continue under the government’s policy framework and that all measures were being taken in accordance with the law.Meanwhile, an Afghan refugee residing in the camp, Muhammad Sadiq, told the media that he had lived in Swabi for the past 45 years and was born there.
He said winding up a business built over four decades within a short span of time was extremely difficult. He appealed to the district administration to grant shopkeepers at least one month’s extension so they could settle pending dues and business transactions before Eid.
