Faridullah Farid
Pakistan being the host to more than 3 million Afghan refugees since 1979 despite socio-economic and security challenges must be appreciated by the international community especially on the eve of World Refugees Day which is celebrated globally every year on 20th Jun.
For the past four decades, Pakistan is hosting the world’s second largest refugee population in the form of Afghan refugees. In 1979, as a result of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, an influx of people seeking safety began.
In May 2022, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) updated its Country of Origin Information (COI) report on Pakistan. According to the research, there were around 3 million Afghans living in Pakistan in January 2022. The UNHCR claims that more than 300,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan since the Taliban assumed control of their country in August 2021, after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan.
Pakistanis have been welcoming Afghan refugees under the auspices of the United Nations High Commission for Afghan Refugees for the past 40 years (UNHCR). Refugees generally have little say in their host country and are confined to refugee camps, but Pakistan has openly permitted Afghan refugees to reside on its mainland, and these refugees are contributing constructively to their host country.
Pakistan has essentially adopted a fairly permissive approach to Afghan refugees, which is more in line with the 1969 Organization of African Union (OAU) Convention definition of refugees. The Pakistani government believes that, despite the fact that it is not a signatory to any international refugee treaties and lacks refugee-specific national legislation, it has provided adequate protection to Afghan refugees during their four decades in Pakistan through generous administrative measures.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are two Muslim neighbouring countries, and according to Islamic beliefs, a Muslim’s woes are the troubles of other Muslims, and it is vital for them to aid one another. Ahadith makes it clear that assisting Muslims with food, clothing, and other necessities is both an obligation and a rewarding gesture. In Allah’s eyes, the noblest deed is to gratify and support a believer who is in need, to relieve him of his load, to pay off his debts, or to satisfy his hunger.
Pakistan has always assisted its Afghan compatriots, whether in the face of natural calamities or warfare, in addition to sheltering more than 3 million Afghan refugees. Pakistan is dedicated to preserving a peaceful and constructive relationship with Afghanistan based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Despite the fact that Pakistan is currently experiencing an economic downturn, it has extended its hand of brotherhood to its Afghan countrymen by offering timely help. Pakistan has despatched two planes stocked with food and shelter materials for flood-affected Afghans during recent flash floods. In addition, Pakistan has urged the OIC to step up its efforts to aid the affected Afghan people through the Afghan Humanitarian Trust Forum (AHTF), warning that flooding could exacerbate Afghanistan’s present humanitarian catastrophe.
Pakistan has also contributed to Afghanistan’s overall capacity building. From providing infrastructure such as hospitals, roads, schools, hostels, and bridges to professional capacity building in areas such as education, health, and agriculture, Pakistan has generously aided the Afghan people. Pakistan’s development contribution to Afghanistan exceeded $1 billion in June of last year, according to facts and numbers published on the official website of Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
The Urban Refugees Support Program was recently developed to support and facilitate refugees residing in KPK’s urban districts in terms of health, education, job, and protection. Special programmes are offered through the Refugees Affected and Hosting Areas Program (RAHA) to improve the skills of refugees in various trades so that they can make a better living for themselves and their families.
Given the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US/NATO forces, the UN has repeatedly warned that humanitarian conditions have worsened since the Taliban took power, and financial sanctions on Kabul have pushed the country’s war-torn national economy to the brink of collapse, and Pakistan, as the country’s immediate neighbour, is providing all-out assistance and support to the Afghan people. Pakistan, on the other hand, requires international assistance in finding a durable solution for Afghan refugees because it is unable to do so, on its own.
While praising Pakistan’s positive role in supporting Afghan refugees, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Pakistan has provided the world with a global public good in supporting Afghan refugees, and it is time for the international community to assume its responsibilities and to support Pakistan very meaningfully.” Therefore, now it is high time for the international community to recognise this truth and take action to protect these refugees by assisting Pakistan’s government in meeting the needs of Afghan refugees who have been staying on its soil for nearly four decades.
The Author is Media Scholar and Freelance journalist [email protected]