Last year, the Afghan government set-up a commission to address the problem of homelessness and panhandling on the streets of Kabul and other provinces. However, it does appear the commission has had much success as local officials in Nangarhar province have said that there has been a dramatic influx of vagrants in the province.
The Nangarhar Provincial Council said that many of the new homeless people have moved to Nangarhar from Sindh and Baluchistan and other places outside of Afghanistan.
Provincial Council officials warned that if the responsible authorities failed to undertake necessary measures soon, there would most likely be a rise in the crime rate. The officials claimed that thousands of drifters have already migrated to several districts of the province and begun committing crimes.
"Many of them have been the source of crimes, and maybe some of them are involved in spying. I strongly ask the government to do something about this and expel them from Afghanistan," said Zabiullah Ezmarai, a Nengarhar Provincial Council member.
Many residents of Nangarhar have also expressed their concerns with the influx of beggars. Apart from claims of them causing a "nuisance," some residents echoed Mr. Ezmarai's comments and said the panhandlers posed a legitimate security threat to the area.
"Most of the gypsies coming from other countries are committing crimes and bringing diseases into the country, so the government should collect them and send them back," said Mohammad Darah Noori, a local Helmand resident.