A steep decrease has been reported in Peshawar trade with the repatriation of Afghan refugees from the city which saw a rapid rise following a deadly attack on Army Public School late in 2014.
According to the local media reports, citing local traders, the Afghan refugees were forming the majority of their customers.
The repatriation of expulsion of refugees following the attack also had negative impact on the rent of the properties besides decline in sales.
Following a deadly attack on an army-run school in Peshawar city of Pakistan, the federal government of Khyber Pashtoonkhwa set a deadline for the expulsion of Afghan refugees on 16th December last year.
A 30-year-old local trade Nabi Khan belonging from Kurran Agency told The Express Tribune that his daily income has decreased due to the departure of Afghans.
He said “My customers were mostly Afghans and I used to earn around $50 to $60 a day which has now declined to $15.”
Another trade Gul Muhammad who was earning more than $50 a day before the departure of Afghan refugees, said “I have sales of only $5 nowadays.”
Over 30,000 Afghan refugees were forced to leave Pakistan and return to Afghanistan amid fears of persecution by Pakistani authorities following a deadly attack on a school in Peshawar city late in December 2014.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) more than 22,000 undocumented Afghans flocked across the border at Torkham in January.
