Islamabad [Pakistan], April 11 (ANI): Leaders of Pakhtun nationalist parties on Wednesday called on Pakistan to halt the deportation of Afghan refugees, urging the government to stop sending back people who have lived in the country for over four decades, the Dawn reported on Thursday.

Addressing a joint press conference, Asghar Khan Achakzai of the Awami National Party (ANP), Nasarullah Zerey of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Ahmed Jan Khan of the National Democratic Movement, and Noor Bacha of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) argued that Afghan refugees are protected under Pakistan's Citizenship Act and possess basic rights, as reported by the Dawn.

The leaders criticised the ongoing crackdown against Afghan refugees, many of whom were born and raised in Pakistan, and expressed concern over the economic and political conditions in the country.

Citing rulings by the Federal Shariat Court and the Peshawar High Court, they demanded the government comply with the courts' decisions and immediately cease deportations, the Dawn reported.

The nationalist leaders convened at Arbab House, the ANP office in Quetta, where they also denounced the worsening law and order in Balochistan.

They rejected the narrative blaming Afghan refugees for the country's challenges and called for the dismissal of what they termed 'false cases' against Pakhtun leaders, including Ali Wazir.

As per Dawn, they also demanded the release of missing persons and the removal of political names from the Fourth Schedule.

To address the issue, a five-member committee has been set up to coordinate with other political groups and chart a way forward. The leaders also opposed recent administrative changes, including the merger of Levies into the police and the integration of the Balochistan Constabulary into the Frontier Corps, labelling them as violations of the 18th Amendment, as reported by the Dawn.

They concluded by stating that justice and equal rights, rather than force, are essential for lasting peace. (ANI)