Centre urged to shift Dr Afridi: minister

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has repeatedly asked the federal government to make arrangements for shifting of Dr Shakeel Afridi because of growing threats to his life in the Peshawar prison. "KPK government didn't make directly contact with Balochistan government to replace the imprisonment place of Dr Afridi," said provincial spokesman Mian Iftikhar Hussain while addressing a press conference here on Monday.
Mian Iftikhar dispelled the media reports that KPK authority had made direct contact with Bolachistan government. "We prior informed to federal government about the threats to Dr Shakeel Afridi's life in the Peshawar Central prison," he added. However, the provincial minister said Punjab government had declined to shift Dr Afridi in Adiala jail, Rawalpindi.
"It was utmost responsibility of the government to provide protection to prisoner in the jail, but the case of Dr Afridi is complicated to deal with it," he maintained. Therefore, he asked the federal government to make arrangement for his shifting from KPK.
"More than 1,000 prisoners hailing from tribal areas were jailed in the Peshawar prison, wherein the provincial government was ensuring protection to them", he added.
Expressing concern over targeting ANP-party public rallies in different parts of the country, he said the non-state actors were behind the attacks on ANP public meetings in Karachi, Balochistan and KPK.
Mian Iftikhar claimed that ANP party was gaining strengthen in entire provinces of the country, saying those who were behind this attacks were not seen the growing popularity of the party. "I appeal to support peace forces with power of vote and their moral obligation," he pledged and added that ANP party would further gain its strength in coming days.
He strongly condemned the terrorists attack on Bannu City Police Station, saying the two unidentified veil-clad persons entered the station at 9:15 morning, in which one terrorist blew himself up and other killed by the firing of police. "Two police personnel, an ASI and constable, had been killed in the exchange of firing with terrorists," he informed.
Regarding the illegal Afghan immigrants, he said all those foreign citizens were not liable to stay without proper documentation under the constitution, but the confusion was created on name of Afghan inhabitants, staying from the last three decade in this region.
Expressing concern over the harassing of Afghan refugees, he said KP government had issued directive to police department for refraining from harassment of legal Afghan immigrants in the province. "Afghans attaining with PoR cards are eligible to stay till the formal voluntarily their repatriation after announcement by UNHCR", he informed.
The provincial minister also deplored the killing of trainee police personnel in Punjab and asked the Punjab government to ensure full protection of trainee policemen hailing from KPK and rest of the country.