Webcast News Service, 7 October 2008

Pakistani officials have ordered more than 50,000 Afghan refugees out of the country's embattled border tribal area.

Pakistani authorities Tuesday began enforcing an order for Afghans to leave the Bajaur tribal region, accusing the refugees of having links to terrorists in the area.

Pakistani troops have been targeting al-Qaida and Taliban-linked terrorists in Bajaur for several weeks, killing at least a thousand terrorists so far.

Officials today said at least 40 Afghans had been arrested and would be deported to their homeland. Some Afghan-owned shops in the tribal area also were shut down.

Pakistani government officials estimate at least 20,000 Afghans have already returned home. Many hail from the neighboring Afghan province of Kunar.

The United Nations today said around 250,000 refugees had returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan so far this year, with some citing the security situation as the reason they moved.

Also today, police said the death toll from Monday's suicide bombing at an opposition lawmaker's home in northern Punjab province rose to at least 17.

Rashid Akbar Nawani, a Shi'ite Muslim and member of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party, was wounded in Monday's blast at his home in the Bhakkar area.

Police suspect a Sunni terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi could be responsible for the attack.

Last week, a suicide bomber in North West Frontier Province targeted ruling Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan. Khan was not wounded, but four other people were killed.

Today, Khan told reporters he is ready to negotiate with Taliban terrorists, as long as they are willing to surrender their arms.