The Pakistani government has decided in principle to repatriate Afghan refugees who are participating in the ongoing protests against the US and its allies for their air strikes on Afghanistan, said reports.
Three Afghan refugees were killed by Pakistani police fire in the country's western region as hundreds of them attacked a police station, according to the official account, which was denied by witnesses, said Abu Dhabi satellite channel.
The government has received reports confirming that pro-Taliban refugees are taking part in the demonstrations, the official Iranian news agency (IRNA) quoted a local daily as saying, adding that several of these had been identified for immediate repatriation.
An official source stated that many Afghan refugees were reported participating in some of the religious parties' organized rallies backing the Taliban militia.
The decision to repatriate Afghan refugees was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by President Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistan has become the unwilling host to thousands of newly arrived Afghan refugees since the first rumors of US airstrikes began to circulate in the Taliban's impoverished, drought-stricken country.
Iran is also hosting thousands of Afghan refugees in what has become one of the world's biggest diasporas – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
