Developing countries including Pakistan bearing burden of refugees: PM

NEW YORK (92 News) – Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that developing countries including Pakistan are bearing burden of refugees. He was addressing the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants at the United Nations in New York on Monday. He said that Pakistan is the only country in the world which hosted Afghan refugees for longest period. “Despite a decline in international funding, we did not back out.” The prime minister said that Pakistan favors dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees, which is in the best interest of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said over two point five million Afghan refugees are presently residing in Pakistan and despite limited resources Pakistan opened the doors for our brothers. Nawaz Sharif said that millions of people across the world have hope with this summit. “The summit is being held at the moment when influx of migrants and refugees is increasing and time has come so as international community to formulate a comprehensive strategy for refugees,” he added. He said that arrival of refugees in Europe in a large number has invited the attention of world towards problems of refugees. The prime minister said that poverty, war and conflicts force the people to migrate and it is a big challenge to translate promises into reality. He said dignity of mankind is common goal of whole world and to resolve crises we will have to resolve issues which cause conflicts. He said a justified strategy should be evolved to ameliorate the hate provoking emotions of the people. The PM said that the New York Communiqué will be a significant step for the refugees.