Despite crises, Pakistan says it will continue to assist and protect Afghan refugees

Geneva: Highlighting that Pakistan is still hosting over 1.4 million Afghan refugees, a senior Pakistani diplomat has called on the world community to continue providing Islamabad with the necessary support to take care of them.

 Speaking at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Asif Durrani said that Pakistan, for over four decades, shouldered the global responsibility of hosting, protecting, and assisting Afghan refugees. “We reaffirm this pledge to Afghan refugees, who enjoy equal access to basic facilities of life at par with Pakistani citizens.,” he told the Forum , the world’s largest international gathering on refugees and host communities.

“This is despite the fact that like many other developing countries, Pakistan continues to grapple with the triple crises of food, fuel and inflation,” Ambassador Durrani said. “We sincerely hope that the international community will continue to demonstrate its responsibility by providing sustained and adequate support to Pakistan as a host country,” he added. In his opening speech, UN refugee agency (UNHCR) chief Filippo Grandi told delegates that a record 114 million forcibly displaced, around the world, represent a “crisis of humanity”.

The Global Refugee Forum — co-hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland and convened by Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda — brings together member states, civil society, financial institutions, private companies and more than 300 refugee advocates. Setting the tone for the discussion, Grandi said that 114 million “represents the number of refugees and displaced people whom persecution, human rights violations, violence, armed conflict, serious public disorder have forced from their homes: 114 million shattered dreams, disrupted lives, interrupted hopes.”

In his remarks, Ambassador Durrani pointed out that international burden and responsibility sharing was disproportionate, inequitable, and unpredictable while developing countries continue to host around 80% of refugees population out of their own meager resources. “Regrettably,” the Pakistani envoy said, “International support to the displaced and the distressed has become most scarce when it is most needed.”

On its part, he said, Pakistan has recently launched a third tranche of 4500 education scholarships for Afghans including refugees. Pakistan provides 100 percent medical facilities to Afghan refugees while 95 percent of secondary and tertiary health support to Afghan nationals, visiting Pakistan. “Pakistan has, therefore, led by practice,” Ambassador Durrani said. The very act of hosting over 1.4 million Afghan refugees was Pakistan’s continued pledge to addressing safety and protection needs of people in vulnerable situations, he said, adding this was besides the 0.9 million Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, staying in Pakistan with equal rights.

Stressing the need for advancing durable solutions for refugee situations, the Pakistani envoy said the absence of war in Afghanistan after four decades of conflict, provides a window of opportunity. “Addressing the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan must remain a top priority,” he said.

 Economic revival and international support for development, reconstruction and rehabilitation activities were also needed to create conditions conducive for voluntary returns. After the withdrawal of US/NATO troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, he said, Pakistan received additional 0.7 million Afghan nationals, presumably to settle in third countries.

However, so far, a maximum of 150,000 have been repatriated to third countries. The promise of third-country resettlement has largely remained a distant dream for Afghans, he pointed out. “The slow pace of resettlement process is a source of concern for Pakistan,” Ambassador Durrani said. “We look forward to an impactful, multi-year, and well-resourced commitment by global partners for Afghan refugees and their host communities in all these areas.”