M A I N   N E W S

Pak to deport 15 Afghan refugees

Illegal Afghan refugees sit chained in a Pakistani police van, awaiting their deportation to Afghanistan outside the Quetta police headquarters on Monday. —Reuters photo

Quetta, October 29
Pakistan today ordered 15 Afghan refugees to be deported for taking part in violent anti-US protests.

The Afghans were involved in violence during an October 8 demonstration in Quetta to protest against US strikes in the neighbouring Afghanistan, the police chief of the southwestern province of Baluchistan, Mr Shoaib Suddle, told a news conference.

They will be sent back to Afghanistan at the Chaman border crossing.

Mr Suddle said the deportation, the first of its kind from this province, which borders Afghani-stan and Iran, would send a signal to other refugees.

The order was issued hours before Islamic religious parties were due to hold another pro-Taliban rally in Quetta, home to thousands of refugees. Reuters 

India airlifts aid for Afghan refugees

New Delhi, October 29
India has airlifted 40 tonnes of medicines and medical equipment to Tajikistan for distribution among Afghan refugees.

The relief material, including antibiotics and surgical supplies, were handed over to the Northern Alliance this weekend for distribution among the refugees as well other needy people, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said.

She confirmed that Pakistan had agreed to receive relief material for refugees in Peshawar and other areas bordering Afghanistan. Senior officials of the government are in touch with the Pakistan Government in this regard, she said. UNI