Daily Times

In the present day, an unprecedented number of people are displaced. They are forced to cross borders for seeking shelter against war, persecution, ethnic cleansing, climate change and other crisis afflicted in their motherland. Most of these refugees have experienced the worst violations of human rights. While a small number of refugees can return home, there is also little chance to become full citizens in the countries they reside in. The impending refugee crisis in developed states is giving rise to the sentiments of Nationalism, Islamophobia and Anti-refugee legislations. In modern times, although storytelling and media campaigns are being used to engender empathy for these refugees, yet only fewer countries are shouldering the responsibility to alleviate the plight of these refugees whose burden must be shared by the entire world.

In January this year, a landmark United Nations Human Rights ruling advocated that climate change refugees cannot be returned home. Albeit, refugees are not welcomed in most of the developed countries. To quote a cogent example, the Hungarian Prime Minister called himself the savior of Christian Europe by building a boundary wall to deflect the refugee influx from the ongoing Middle East crisis and Mr. Trump is diverting USD 3.8 billion to build a wall alongside the Mexican borders to hamper the inflow of expatriates into American soil. The developed countries need to welcome these refugees on board who can then contribute towards the economic development of their host country. Only through global cooperation and pragmatism, we can support these refugees for a better life they rightly deserve.

Despite the turbulent economy and abysmal security conditions, Pakistan is an “Unconditional” host to the world’s largest population of refugees mostly fleeing from the war-stricken Afghanistan. Although, Pakistan is not a party to the 1951 convention related to Status of Refugees, yet it is home to around four million Afghan refugees and a score of others who fled from their conflict-afflicted countries since the 1970s.

Pakistan has been providing food, shelter, employment, education, housing, security, human rights and other necessities that were denied to these refugees in their home countries. In late 2018, Prime Minister of Pakistan announced that one and a half million registered Afghan refugees will be granted Pakistani citizenship. Last year, Pakistan agreed on a twelve-point joint agenda with Afghanistan and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for the safe return of Afghan refugees residing in this country for the last four decades. The world must acknowledge the invaluable efforts and contribution of Pakistan towards continuous support and rehabilitation of refugees residing in this country for long.

The writer is a chartered accountant and a social entrepreneur who currently works in the public sector of Pakistan and has a flair for writing on global issues. He can be reached at arsyed09@gmail.com