Pakistan hosting Afghan refugees from 40 years despite crises: FM

  ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday has termed that Pakistan is hosting Afghan refugees from 40 years and providing better facilities to millions of refugees despite crises. The foreign minister said while addressing two-day Refugee Summit Islamabad on 40 years of hosting Afghan refugees in Pakistan on Monday. The minister said that resolving Afghan conflict is inevitable for peace in the region. He told that Pakistan is hosting five million refugees as per Islamic values. “No country can handle this issue alone,” he added. FM Qureshi said Pakistan hosted five million Afghan refugees and today three million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees are residing in Pakistan. He said Pak-Afghan relations have provided impetus to host millions of Afghan refugees. The minister urged the world to join hands with Pakistan to provide basic needs to Afghan refugees and enable them to live a dignified life. He said international cooperation is required more than ever before. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan is pursuing a policy of return of Afghan refugees with dignity, safety and honor. “Caring should be a shared responsibility,” he explained. He said Afghan refugees are expecting the world to rebuild their country after restoration of peace there.

Afghan second vice president thanks Pakistan for hosting refugees

On the occasion, Afghan Second Vice President Danish Sarwar said they are thankful to Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees for 40 years. He said Pakistan played the role of a brotherly country by hosting millions of Afghan refugees. He said we cannot forget as to how Pakistan and Iran opened their doors for Afghan refugees. He further said his government wants repatriation of Afghan refugees; however, for that, end of the war is imperative. The conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan while United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, ministers and senior officials from around twenty countries also participated in the event.