Written by: Bushra Tanveer
Student of BS- International Relations
Muzzaffarabad
As per the UNCH estimation there are 4.4 million Afghan refugees settled in different parts of Pakistan however, Pakistani authorities claim that almost 3.7 million are registered and 1.7 million are non registered and living in Pakistan unlawfully which have becoming cause of concern in view of security threat for Pakistan which increased terrorism on in its territory.
The authorities are of the view that unregistered and illegally influx of Afghans refugees in Pakistan is the actual concern in view of security as well as economically. Pakistan has just managed to push back 450,000 illegal Afghan settlers to Afghanistan and now it is has extended the more time to afghan dwellers to return back to Afghanistan on humanitarian grounds.
Although the world community is worried about the growing humanitarian crisis in the Afghanistan with an increasing number of refugees but are not ready to meet the refugee crises on the ground. Pakistan is amongst the nearest countries dealing with the very difficult problem of accommodating the millions of Afghans refugees. Our country’s response to the crisis needs to be analyzed from not only a humanitarian aspect, but also from a geopolitical and internal socio-economic point of view and above all increasing terrorism.
The Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees for last 5 decades and the world community should move forward to help Pakistan to meet refugee crises and should ensure their deportation by assisting them economically and it is the prime responsibility of UNCH to solve the refugee crises amicably so that Pakistan could manage its security and economic crises.
The relationship between Pakistan and the Afghan refugees has a long and rich history that dates back to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. During the past four decades Pakistan has hosted one of the largest refugee populations of the world, offering them shelter, education, and also healthcare. Nevertheless, this hospitability has had its own fair share of difficulties.
The flow of people causes a substantial stress on the Pakistan’s limited resources and infrastructure. In this context, Pakistan has been able to maintain the resilience and pragmatism in managing one of the Pakistan’s key strategies is keeping open borders, allowing refugees to look for security and shelter without unnecessary obstacles. This policy demonstrates the Pakistan’s adherence to the humanitarian principles, as well as its long-term friendly relations with Afghanistan. Yet, the porous nature of the border brings a lot of security problems such as the entry of the militants and smuggling of the contraband. To address these concerns, Pakistan has increased the border management measures by increasing the surveillance and also cooperation with the Afghan authorities.
In addition, Pakistan has called upon the international community to play active part to support Pakistan to provide economic support to the Afghans refugees in order to leave for their home in Afghanistan. The nation has persistently argued for the burden-sharing, stressing the importance of the community’s shared responsibility in resolving the refugee crises. Through diplomatic engagements and multilateral platforms, Pakistan has been a true champion of increased humanitarian aid and development assistance, which aims to ameliorate the situation of the Afghan refugees and their host communities.
Among its external linkages, the Pakistan has implemented different initiatives to improve the socio-economic integration of the Afghan refugees. They include making education and vocational training more accessible, creating job opportunities, and providing refugees with legal documents to enhance their legal status. The goal is to make refugees self-reliant so that they can reduce their dependence on humanitarian aid and thus, obtain long-term resilience
Nevertheless, these attempts are not enough and problems remain the major issue in finding the best solution for the Afghan refugee issue. The continuing nature of the conflict in Afghanistan, together with the political instability and insecurity, bring challenges to refugee situations that persist for long time. Nevertheless, the situation is further complicated by the availability of limited resources and the conflicting priorities of domestic affairs that limit Pakistan’s ability to handle the varied needs of refugees as well as the host communities.
Moreover, the resettlement of the Afghan refugees also turns out to be a controversial issue. But, there are some refugees who have returned to Afghanistan of their own free will and there are many others who have continued to express their dissatisfaction due to lack of work opportunities in their home country and in this context UNCH could play a pivotal role in resolving their economic concerns. Pakistan has constantly making efforts to ensure the voluntary repatriation in accordance with the international law, however the success of the repatriation process relies on the restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan and providing economic assistance to Afghan refugees to start their small scale business in their homeland.
Pakistan’s struggle with the Afghan refugee crisis lies in a fine balancing act between its humanitarian duty and security concerns which are entangled with social and economic factors. The way this country goes about it reflects a practical understanding of the fact that the matter is quite complex and the search for sustainable solutions is challenging
Moving forward, Pakistan’s part in attending to the Afghan refugee crisis will still be of great significance, which depends on further collaboration with the international community, active assistance to the Afghan authorities and strong dedication to humanitarian principles. In light of the fact that Afghanistan’s situation shifts dynamically, Pakistan needs to revise its policies and strategies so that the rights and safety of Afghan refugees are secured and its own interests as well as security is protected.
To sum up, the Afghan refugee crisis presses Pakistan to a great extent, but gives it an opportunity also to show leadership, compassion and resilience. Through a sensible and inclusive approach, Pakistan may add to the promotion of the stability, peace, and prosperity in the region plus it will be fulfilling the humanitarian commitments and principles. With the world dealing with the outcomes of conflict and displacement, solidarity and cooperation have become the need of the hour in providing assistance to the most vulnerable communities.
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