Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The actual human crisis in Syria is worse than it was reported in media, there are over six million people refugees in the Syria wherein 2.5 million refugees are under the age of 18 years old.

This was stated by Pakistan International Medical Association (PIMA) International Relief, Director Muhammad Iqbal Khan in a presser held here on Saturday. He briefed the journalists about the current grave situation in Syria which his organization’s delegation observed during the recent visit to refugees camps in Turkey

Iqbal said that innocent Muslims are helpless before aggressions from all sides. While quoting the figures compiled by United Nations (UN), he revealed that so for 350,000 lives have been taken and 12 million people are badly affected with internal and external migration.

He added that over the refugees have been taken in different countries including 3.5 million in Turkey, 1 million in Lebanon, 55000 in Jordan while 7.4 million internally displaced Syrian population.

Iqbal further said that around 12 million people are displaced making almost half of national population is at the run, adding that since the start of the conflict majority of Syrian territory have flown abroad. Most of the flown population are women and children. Majority of them fled to neighboring Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, he added.

He disclosed that less than 10 percent of Syrian refugees have sought safely in Europe, sowing political divisions as countries argue over sharing burden. As per UN data, he said, 1 in 10 Syrian refugees live in camps while the rest of them are struggling to settle in urban communities of these areas. Some of them are also forced to live in informal environment of the rural areas. Even they are living in open air with out roofs.

While talking about the children segment of the refugee, the Director said that majority of the refugee children are out of schools since years, adding that as per an estimate 35000 school buses would be needed to take every young refugee back to Syria.

As the large number of refugees is living in Turkey, he said, so his organization decided to find partners for financial support of refugee in Turkey. He also requested the Pakistanis and the government for giving more and more charities for the refugees.The Doctor World Wide (DWW), he said, is an organization in Turkey and actively involved for donating charities there. It is the organization in the Turkey that is also providing the health care facilities apart from financial assistance. It is also a legal body for the relief purposes, the Director added.

While sharing the PIMA efforts, Iqbal said that so for the organization managed to send 85 thousand us dollars to Turkey in the account of DWW.

He also talked about a area in near Turkey boarder where 50 percent of the population is refugees. During the visit of that area, he said, the delegation found that more than 2200 children are orphans by both the parents.

The director further said that although the Turkish government and some NGOs are doing their utmost for provision of each kind of facilities to refugees, they need more and more facilities yet particularly they needed medical assistance. “Despite the fact that the Turkish economy was badly suffered due to arrival of Syrian refugees, its government efforts for refugees in such situation is highly appreciating”, Iqbal admired.

He said that during the visit, the PIMA signed an MOU with the DWW to provide assistance particularly in medical needs there, adding that the MOU will continue at least till one year. He also recalled that Pakistan’s contribution for refugees in the Turkey from Syria.