Since 2000, the globe has come together to honor the World Refugee Day on 20th of every June. The worldwide refugee crises have taken center stage in the world affairs; therefore, it is more important than ever not just to share the support but also appreciate the hosting partners especially Pakistan while celebrating the World Refugee Day.
Despite several socio-economic and security challenges, Pakistan is hosting the second-largest refugee population of almost three million Afghans: –
- Pakistan has approximately 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees POR cardholders and 0.8 million ACC cardholders living in Pakistan. There are also more than a million un-documented refugees living in the country.
- As of 2020, there are 54 Afghan Refugee Camps operational in Pakistan. Out of which, 43 camps are in the province of KP housing nearly 1 million refugees.
- About 68% of these Afghan refugee in Pakistan live in urban areas while only 32% live in the camps.
For the last forty years, the people of Pakistan have been generously hosting Afghan refugees; making this the largest protracted refugee hosting under the mandate of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Pakistan’s solidarity and compassion for hosting Afghan refugees is a remarkable blueprint that the rest of the world could follow.
Refugees mostly do not have a say in their country and are limited to refugee camps but Pakistan has openly allowed Afghan refugees to settle in its mainland and those refugees are also contributing positively towards their host country.
Pakistan’s steady support to its Afghan refugees spread over four decades exemplifies and unparalleled sense of empathy and compassion for its troubled brotherly state.
Greater peace cannot happen overnight, it is an important goal wherein Pakistan has strived hard to create a more peaceful world by extending a helping hand to its Afghan brethren.
Pakistan has provided the world with a global public good supporting Afghan refugee and it is time for the international community to assume its responsibilities, and to support Pakistan very meaningfully-UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Pakistan and Iran had been with Afghan refugees through bitter times of hardship and loss, renewed conflict and uncertainty. And through years of efforts to rebuild a fractured nation and secure the peaceful future that the people of Afghanistan deserve – Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
