ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for State and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch on Tuesday highlighted the issue of five million Rohingya refugees at the 68th meeting of the UNHCR executive committee at Geneva and called for addressing the root causes of displacement on a priority basis.
While delivering Pakistan’s statement at the meeting, the minister said that it was a fact that 86 per cent of refugees were hosted in developing countries, including Pakistan. He highlighted that the emerging and protracted forced displacements at such a large scale create political, socio-economic, security and environmental challenges and difficulties for host countries.
Highlighting the stance of Pakistan, the minister said that there was a need for devising a comprehensive burden-sharing mechanism to address the issues of refugees all over the world. He also highlighted the efforts of Pakistan, with unparalleled generosity and hospitality, in hosting Afghan refugees for over 38 years, but said that Pakistan had not received due recognition for this immense public service.
Lt Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch also said that the government of Pakistan was committed to voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees safely and with dignity. Currently, he added the government was effectively carrying out the implementation of the Afghan Management and Repatriation Strategy approved earlier this year.
The minister also appreciated the efforts of UNHCR in the enhancement of voluntary repatriation grant from the US $200 to $400 during 2016 which helped returnees anchor in Afghanistan. He also cautioned against a cut in any repatriation grant and also made it cleared that local integration was not considered or supported by Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan had always supported and will continue to support all efforts to ensure peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, adding that a stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the national interest of Pakistan.
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