Kailash Kumar
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Granting citizenship to Afghan refugees is Pakistan’s internal matter – UNHCR
SIB KAIFEE
February 17, 2020
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) made it clear on Monday that granting citizenship to Afghan refugees is in the Pakistani government’s discretion, as Islamabad has already done much in the past four decades for the world’s second-largest displaced community.
“That is a matter for the Pakistani government to discuss,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told Arab News on the sidelines of an ongoing international summit – 40 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees in Pakistan – held in Islamabad.
“In general, the measures that have been taken without reaching that level (offering Pakistani citizenship to refugees) have been very positive,” Grandi added, referring to Pakistan’s efforts to provide shelter, protection, and other facilities to persons displaced by conflict in Afghanistan.
Pakistan hosts over 1.4 million Afghan refugees registered with UNHCR, but many others are not registered. It is estimated that some 2 million Afghans have been living in Pakistan.
A citizenship pledge to refugees was made by Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2018, shortly after assuming office. “Afghans whose children have been raised and born in Pakistan will be granted citizenship, inshallah (God willing) because this is the established practice in countries around the world,” he said at the time.
“They are humans. How come we have deprived them and have not arranged for offering them a national identification card and passport for 30 years, 40 years?”
Refugees still hope the premier will deliver on his promise.
Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan, Rustum Shah, told Arab News that Pakistan should grant the refugees nationality after four decades of hosting them.
“Afghan refugees would continue to stay here. As long as there is no reconciliation there is no peace,” Shah said adding that forced repatriation would be wrong.
“The government of Pakistan must consider giving them nationality now because they have been here for 40 years,” the retired diplomat said.
There was also a video (54 seconds) where the UNHCR talks a bit more about the situation than what is written in the article above.
The video however could not be embedded here.
See the link below for the video.
https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1629221/pakistan
SIB KAIFEE
February 17, 2020
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) made it clear on Monday that granting citizenship to Afghan refugees is in the Pakistani government’s discretion, as Islamabad has already done much in the past four decades for the world’s second-largest displaced community.
“That is a matter for the Pakistani government to discuss,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told Arab News on the sidelines of an ongoing international summit – 40 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees in Pakistan – held in Islamabad.
“In general, the measures that have been taken without reaching that level (offering Pakistani citizenship to refugees) have been very positive,” Grandi added, referring to Pakistan’s efforts to provide shelter, protection, and other facilities to persons displaced by conflict in Afghanistan.
Pakistan hosts over 1.4 million Afghan refugees registered with UNHCR, but many others are not registered. It is estimated that some 2 million Afghans have been living in Pakistan.
A citizenship pledge to refugees was made by Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2018, shortly after assuming office. “Afghans whose children have been raised and born in Pakistan will be granted citizenship, inshallah (God willing) because this is the established practice in countries around the world,” he said at the time.
“They are humans. How come we have deprived them and have not arranged for offering them a national identification card and passport for 30 years, 40 years?”
Refugees still hope the premier will deliver on his promise.
Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan, Rustum Shah, told Arab News that Pakistan should grant the refugees nationality after four decades of hosting them.
“Afghan refugees would continue to stay here. As long as there is no reconciliation there is no peace,” Shah said adding that forced repatriation would be wrong.
“The government of Pakistan must consider giving them nationality now because they have been here for 40 years,” the retired diplomat said.
There was also a video (54 seconds) where the UNHCR talks a bit more about the situation than what is written in the article above.
The video however could not be embedded here.
See the link below for the video.
https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1629221/pakistan
