ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday opposed the “forced repatriation” of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan saying “the move is likely to instill hate among Afghans against Pakistan.

“I warn the government of Pakistan against repatriating Afghan refugees through use of force,”Fazl said while addressing a gathering in the federal capital.

The JUI-F chief said, “It would not be appropriate to send the refugees back to the land of war, blood and fire after hosting them for around 35 years.”

“Force repatriation of Afghan refugees will not benefit our cause, except making the Afghans an enemy of Pakistan,” Fazl maintained.

He advised the government to make new friends in the World instead of turning everyone into an enemy of the country.

“We cannot afford to lose the sympathies of Afghan refugees by sending them back forcefully,” Fazl added.

He was of the view that it was not the right time for repatriation of Afghan refugees as, according to him, “the security situation in Afghanistan was not suitable”.

“We can take care of Afghan refugees for a year or more but cannot push them back to the valley of death,” he asserted.

JUI-F is the second ally party of the incumbent government which has opposed the repatriation of Afghan refugees.

Earlier, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai had also warned the PML-N government against repatriation of Afghan refugees.

Jamat-i-Islami is also against the repatriation process under the present circumstances.

The government, however, has set a deadline of December 31, 2016, for the repatriation of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan — and is insistent that it will not extend the deadline.