KOHAT: Minister for SAFRON Shehryar Afridi has said that Pakistan’s geographical boundaries, territorial integrity and national unity are our “red lines” and no one would be allowed to cross them.
The minister expressed these views while addressing a public gathering here at Ghamkol Sharif Afghan Refugees Camp on the first day of Eid.
The ceremony began with Pakistan and Afghan national anthems. Children also offered a special play to showcase the kind and generous hospitality offered by Pakistan to war-affected refugees of Afghan war.
Addressing a congregation of Afghan leaders, the minister said that Pakistan and Afghanistan, despite having separate identity and history, had defeated foreign occupation forces. He said that Pakistan had generously hosted over four million Afghan refugees over the past four decades through thick or thin.
“During the past four decades, Pakistan passed through different phases. We suffered on economic front but never passed on this financial impact to our generous support to our Afghan guests. We don’t need anything in return for our generous hosting of Afghan refugees. We just want Afghans to respect our territorial integrity and geographical boundaries which are our red lines. Respect our national flag which is symbol of our pride. And respect the sanctity of our federating units i.e. Punjab, Khyber Pakhtukhwa (including FATA), Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. We don’t ask you anything else in return for this hospitality,” the minister said.
The minister said that anyone pointing fingers at Pakistan could never be a friend of either Pakistan or Afghanistan. He said Pakistan, since 1979, had sacrificed their own kids but fed Afghan refugees generously.
“We shared our bread and butter with you. We shared our resources, our businesses, our homes and even got our sons and daughters married with you. This is a forty hears history of brotherhood and sacrifices and the history has no match to this bond. Now we ask you please never allow any enemy to raise fingers at Pakistan,” the minister said.
The Minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had set another precedence of refugee mainstreaming by allowing Afghan refugees to open bank accounts in Pakistan and do official businesses here. He said that any issue being faced by Afghan refugees would be resolved on priority.
