SURPRISINGLY, one third of our currency which is about three thousand billion rupees in circulation in Pakistan is somehow held or controlled by Afghans. They devalue the currency in Pakistan by buying dollars on it whenever they want. Not only this, but also through smuggling, dollars are constantly being transferred from Pakistan to Afghanistan, which is stabilizing the economy of Afghanistan. It is as if we are giving our blood to Afghans even when we are dying. Nadra has played the most important role in spreading more than one crore Afghanis like a cancer in Pakistan which has made almost every Afghani an ID card holder of Pakistan.
First of all, it has been decided to block the Nadra cards of Afghans. This is also a big security issue. Perhaps then the services of a serving general will be taken. After that the work will start on their return. If the work starts on this, a huge burden will be removed from Pakistan. Why Pakistani rupee is weaker than Afghani currency ? Refugees are kept in camps all over the world. They are confined to an area with certain numbers and certain conditions. But Pakistan is the only country where more than six million Afghan refugees have been allowed to do business (legitimate and illegitimate, all kinds) anywhere in the country and there is no imprisonment for months or years. Renewal was not required.
For the last 45 years, Afghans have brutally looted the resources of this country and also hated Pakistan immensely. Eighty percent of Pakistan’s problems are caused by these Afghan refugees. Today, these Afghans are the main cause of terrorism, currency collapse and economic destruction of Pakistan. When the Taliban recaptured Kabul in August 2021 after two decades, the United States and Europe froze more than $ 9 billion in Afghan central bank reserves out of fear that the funds would be used by the militant group for terrorism. Afghanistan needs about 10 to 15 million dollars on a daily basis and half of this requirement is met by Afghan money launderers from Pakistan.
Afghans buy coal and other commodities in Afghani currency and sell them in Pakistani currency with some profit, later they convert the rupees into US dollars and send them to Afghanistan in the traditional way. The illegal outflow from Pakistan has eroded foreign reserves and added pressure on the rupee, with the domestic currency falling to record low and the economy teetering on the brink of collapse. Since Afghanistan is totally dependent on Pakistan, Afghanistan destabilizes Pakistan through various tactics so that Pakistan can never get rid of Afghanistan.
Currently, the outlawed TTP, Daesh Khorasan, BLA and other extremist groups are present in full force in Afghanistan. The Afghan government is using the presence of these groups on its soil as a weapon of blackmail against neighboring countries especially Pakistan. These groups assist in the smuggling of essential goods from neighboring countries to Afghanistan, in exchange for which the Afghan government avoids investigating them for staying within its borders, and secondly, they are diverted from foreign arms markets in Herat, Kabul and Kandhar. It also provides facility to buy modern weapons. It should be noted that these markets contain advanced weapons left by the US and NATO countries. These arms and safe havens of Afghanistan are being used against Pakistan.
Pakistan is facing enormous social problems internally from the side of Afghans: drug trafficking, human trafficking, vehicle smuggling, kidnapping for ransom, money laundering, everywhere these Afghans are involved. On one hand, these people are involved in various crimes, on the other hand, they are in control of our entire infrastructure. Thousands of Afghans bought Pakistani identity cards in various ways and bought plazas, markets and shops in Pakistan. While Pakistanis are employed by them for a few thousands. Pakistan needs to adopt a clear policy on repatriation of Afghan refugees now, lest it is too late and we become aliens in our own country.
Pakistan has installed fence along Afghanistan border to control free movement of terrorists, smugglers and money launderers. Despite installation of the fence, smuggling has continued. The economy of the country has not collapsed in a day. It took years to meet this devastating fate. The decision makers and law enforcement agencies are responsible for this disastrous situation. Smugglers and money launderers are involved in the collapse of country’s economy, inflation and devaluation of national currency. Tens of the law enforcement agencies are deployed on border to control smuggling of commodities and currency. All of the law enforcement agencies remained unsuccessful in controlling smuggling of either kind. Mafias have destroyed economy of the country. Realising condition of the economy, the Army Chief, General Asim Munir, has decided to take control of the economic matters of the country in hands. Since he has taken firm measures, things are getting better.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
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