At least three Pakistani villagers and an Afghan refugee were killed on Wednesday in a clash with police sent to demolish homes near a refugee camp that authorities want to close, officials and residents said.The trouble began when “police refused to listen to our pleas and tried to demolish homes of local villagers” near the Pir Alizai camp, said Abdul Shakoor Kokozai, a tribal elder. He said the ensuing shootout left four people dead, including an Afghan refugee. “We are Pakistanis. We don’t want to be made homeless,” he said, adding that five Pakistani villagers and three refugees were injured when police fired tear gas and swung batons.
There were conflicting reports about the incident. Chaman Nazim Hamid Ullah Achakzai said police had been sent only to demolish homes vacated by Afghan refugees, not those of Pakistanis living in the area. Some refugees apparently joined local residents in opposing the police action. Zaman Khan, a senior police officer in Chaman, said police used tear gas against 300 to 400 camp residents blocking the Quetta-Chaman highway in protest. About 36,000 people live in Pir Alizai, one of four large camps that the Pakistani government plans to close by September.