Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid Tuesday said that peace zones should be established in Afghanistan near Pak-Afghan border so that the people are not forced to migrate to Pakistan.
He said the world community including regional states and especially international organizations should help Afghanistan to build economic opportunities, skills and development to the war threatened people.
He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of a two-day conference on “Refugee Crisis and its Ramifications for Global and National Security,” organized by South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University here.
He said Pakistan’s fundamental priority is the early return of Afghan refugees and their reintegration in Afghan society, “for which we need to work closely with the Government of Afghanistan, UNHCR and other relevant players”. He said Pakistan had maintained a policy of temporary protection with voluntary return as the preferred option; however the goal of comprehensive repatriation remained elusive.