While chairing meeting of the of federal cabinet, Prime Minister Imran Khan gave directives for accommodating Afghan Refugees in the distribution of relief goods to internally displaced citizens of Pakistan. Inclusion of Afghan Refugees in the Prime Minister’s relief package of Rs.200 billion is indicative of his commitment to convert Pakistan into a welfare state on the role model of state of Madeena, which had been founded by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
The relief package was announced to provide social protection net that are directly affected by the halted economic activity in the country, mostly daily wagers, due to the catastrophic impact of coronavirus global pandemic. At present 2.8 million Afghan Refugees are living in 52 camps, of which 80 percent are daily wage earners. Pakistan has been hosting the world’s largest number of refugees for the past 40 years and the international community has almost stopped humanitarian assistance since late 90s, which the Commissionerate Afghan Refugees once described as donors fatigue.
Credit must be given to PTI government for holding an international conference on Afghan Refugees, who are staying in Pakistan for the past four decades to apprise the international community about problems they are confronted with. On this occasion in his speech, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres euologised Pakistan’s unpredicted solidarity and compassion for hosting millions of refugees and described it a remarkable blueprint that rest of the world should follow. He said that Pakistan is still today world’s second largest refugees’ hosting country. He appreciated the efforts which are being made for refugees’ protection by using innovative technology and said that innovation in this regard are now recognised as global model of good practices.
UN Secretary General ‘eulogy’ was the vindication of the stance that Prime Minister had taken in his keynote address to the global Refugee Forum in Geneva in December, last year, wherein he reminded the international community about the generosity and hospitality that people of Pakistan had demonstrated to the incoming Afghan Refugees in early 1980s, noting that this was the inspiration drawn from the Sunnah of the Prophet of Islam (Peace Be Upon Him).
Pakistan is facing multiple and complex economic challenges such as swollen foreign debt liability, acute balance of payment pressure due to falling exports, and capital outflows which have become further compounded because of downturn of global economy caused coronavirus pandemic. That is why, Ministry of SAFRON has sent a letter to the UNCR Chief urging him to sensitise the international community to come forward for the relief and succor of Afghan Refugees in these extremely difficult times.
