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[[Afghan refugees in Pakistan say they are fearing a new crackdown after Pakistani officials blamed Afghans earlier this month for a string of attacks on security forces. From Peshawar, Pakistan, Khudainoor Nasar has the story, narrated by Roshan Noorzai.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptPakistan Afghan Refugees
HEADLINE: Afghan Refugees Worried as Pakistan Accuses 'Afghan Nationals' in Attacks
TEASER: Government accusations of terrorism have Afghan refugees in Pakistan concerned about their future
PUBLISHED AT: 07/27/2023 at 4:35 pm
BYLINE: Khudainoor Nasar
DATELINE: Peshawar
CONTRIBUTOR: Roshan Noorzai
VIDEOGRAPHER:
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Enochs, Reifenrath, DJ (OK)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original | VOA Afghan Service + Wire footage
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 2:20
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[Afghan refugees in Pakistan say they are fearing a new crackdown after Pakistani officials blamed Afghans earlier this month for a string of attacks on security forces. From Peshawar, Pakistan, Khudainoor Nasar has the story, narrated by Roshan Noorzai.]]
(Broll – Peshawar - people walking in a market complex 1:10 to 1:20 )
((NARRATOR))
For the past four decades, the city of Peshawar, Pakistan, has been home to hundreds of thousands of Afghans who have fled war.
//Editor: https://www.unhcr.org/pk/where-we-work#:~:text=Islamabad%2C%20Pakistan-,PESHAWAR,villages%20and%20in%20urban%20settings.//
The refugees have established themselves in the city and have warm relations with local Pakistanis, many of whom speak the same language and share cultural and religious ties.
(Broll – Shopkeeper & local shop Video 0:00 to 0:23)
But some Afghans are worried about their future. Earlier this month, Pakistani officials blamed “Afghan nationals” for a series of attacks on the country's security forces.
[[For radio: Mohammad Zubai, an Afghan refugee in Peshawar, rejects what the Pakistani officials say. He says Afghans are not involved in such activities and that the Pakistanis treat them like their brothers.]]
((Mohammad Zubai, Afghan Refugee in Peshawar)) ((Male in Pashto)) (Video1: 00:45 – 00:56))
“I strongly reject what Pakistani officials say. Afghans are not involved in such activities. We are very happy from the (local) Pakistanis. They treat us like their own brothers.”
((Broll -- Wire: Attack on a military base in Pakistan footage 10 secs.))
((NARRATOR))
After an attack earlier this month [July 12] on a military base in the southwestern province of Baluchistan killed a dozen soldiers and a civilian, the Pakistani army
((Broll: https://ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail?id=6576
Highlight in the statement: The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed. 10 Secs))
//https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-army-base-comes-under-deadly-militant-attack/7177403.html//
issued a statement saying that “Afghan nationals” were involved in violence in the country.
[[Radio: Journalist and analyst Tahir Khan says that such statements from the head of the army will have a negative impact on millions of Afghan refugees, and it also lets Pakistani institutions know how the head of the army thinks. Khan says the statement was not appropriate.]]
((Tahir Khan, Journalist and Analyst)) (Male, Dari))) (Video: 02:05 – 02:21))
“It is normal that when such a statement comes from the head of the army, it will have a negative impact on millions of Afghan refugees. And it also signals [the government] institutions in Pakistan on how the head of the army thinks. I think the statement was not appropriate.”
((Video: 2:33 to 2:48))
((NARRATOR))
The U.N. says that there are around 3.7 million Afghans living in Pakistan, and only 1.3 million of them are registered.
[[https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/99583]]
((Broll: Wire: The State Department 10 Secs))
The U.S. said last week there was “no indication” that Afghan refugees were involved in terrorist activities.
[[For radio: John Kirby is the White House National Security Council spokesperson.]]
((John Kirby)) ((National Security Council )) (Male, English))) (Video: Wire))
“We've seen no indication that Afghan refugees in Pakistan or along that border are guilty of acts of terrorism."
((NARRATOR)) (Video: 2:22 - 2:33))
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, around 600,000 more Afghans have fled to Pakistan.
[[https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/100884]]
((For Khudinoor Nasar in Peshawar, Roshan Noorzai, VOA NEWS))
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