CHITRAL: Civil society and political leaders have demanded of the federal government to postpone for at least three months the return of Afghan refugees here to allow them to settle all their affairs, including commercial transactions in Chitral, where law and order was exemplary.

Addressing a reception hosted by Afghan refugees for local dignitaries, Wajeehud Din, Eidul Hussain, Maulana Abdul Shakoor, Naveed Ahmed Baig and others said that the people of Chitral had accepted their Afghan brothers in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood in 1979 immediately after the Soviet invasion of their country.

They demanded of the government to extend the August 30 deadline for the Afghans’ return by at least three months. “And instead of taking them to the camp in Azakhel and sending them via Torkham border, the Afghans should be sent back to their country via Arandu or Gabor points depending upon their convenience.

Earlier, Qari Abdul Salam, on behalf of the Afghan refugees, said after the Soviet aggression on their country, they migrated to Pakistan and were worried and anxious about their future, but after coming here, they received a welcome they could not have imagined.

He said more than half of those returning to their homeland were born in Chitral, and that was why they had a deep love for this area and considered the people here as their brothers.

Mr Salam said that the Afghan refugees living in Chitral would remain indebted to their love and would always keep them in their hearts.

SURGERY PERFORMED: The first-ever tonsillectomy at Aga Khan Medical Centre, Booni, was successfully performed using the latest surgical techniques ensuring minimal bleeding and a faster recovery.

Dr Samar Abbas, clinical manager of the hospital, told Dawn here on Tuesday that the patient, a seven-year-old boy from Mastuj village of Upper Chitral, had previously been denied surgery at a teaching hospital in Peshawar due to his complex anesthesia risks and the high possibility of complications.

He said that recognising the urgency and the child’s right to quality care, the surgical and anesthesia teams of the hospital came up with meticulous planning and clinical precision.

He added that the teams achieved an historic milestone by completing the most complicated surgery successfully through relentless efforts of three hours.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025