Afghan refugees: UN to support Pakistan

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) “stand ready” to provide support in registering and managing Afghan nationals, the agencies said on Saturday. The statement comes amidst the government’s crackdown on illegal immigrants residing across the country.

In a joint statement on Saturday, both UN agencies stated they had a “longstanding and strong collaboration” with Pakistan and stood ready to “provide support in developing a comprehensive and sustainable mechanism to register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection”. It added that the UNHCR and IOM said they were appealing to Pakistan to “continue its protection of all vulnerable Afghans who have sought safety in the country and could be at imminent risk if forced to return”.

The UN agencies urged all countries to “suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals and ensure any possible returns to the country take place in a safe, dignified and voluntary manner”. They highlighted that Afghanistan was going through a “severe humanitarian crisis with several human rights challenges, particularly for women and girls”.