ahlam1399
07-01-2016, 04:43 AM
Qadir says they have to leave as the country’s eco**my can**t sustain their burden
ISLAMABAD: Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that Afghan refugees had occupied over one million jobs in Pakistan thus creating financial problems for the locals.
“It is difficult for the locals in various cities to find jobs as over one million Afghan refugees are working in Pakistan,” the minister added.
The government on Thursday decided to engage the Afghan government and UNHCR immediately to devise concrete steps to ensure the early sustained return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.The decision was taken at a meeting co-chaired by Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir Baloch.
During the meeting, Baloch made it clear that Afghan refugees would have to leave Pakistan come what may. “Pakistan can**t host Afghan refugees for further period,” he added. “The country’s eco**my is unable to bear the burden over two million refugees and they are left with ** other option but to leave Pakistan,” Baloch said.
The minister said Afghanistan didn’t fulfil its promise regarding repatriation of refugees. “Afghan government didn’t act upon the plan devised by Pakistan for repatriation of its citizens.”
Baloch termed the apprehensions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government regarding Afghan Refugees as genuine. “The P government is right in saying that Afghan refugees are hurting the eco**my and culture of the province beside their involvement in crimes,” the minister added.
The meeting was held in pursuance of the prime minister’s directive with respect to a six-month extension accorded for the stay of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would approach the Afghan government at political and diplomatic level, whereas the Ministry of Safron is to engage UNHCR and the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) to pursue and devise modalities for implementation of early return as well as the possibility of shifting Afghan refugees gradually from Pakistan to safer and peaceful areas of Afghanistan where the Afghan government should establish settlements, said a Foreign ****** statement.
Keeping in view the current political, socioeco**mic and security scenario, the meeting recognised the need for early return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with ho**ur and in dignity. However, emphasis remained on sustainable repatriation wherein all-out efforts are required to help the returnees reintegrate in Afghanistan.
The meeting recognised the importance of the forthcoming Tripartite Commission meeting on repatriation of Afghan refugees to be held on July 19 in Pakistan where the government would formally discuss this matter in detail with the Afghan minister of MoRR and UNHCR.
The meeting welcomed the an**uncement of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees during his recent visit to Pakistan regarding enhancing the repatriation grant from $200 to $400 per individual for registered Afghan returnees.
The meeting observed that the enhancement would incentivise returns and help anchor returnees in Afghanistan. However, it was felt that the incentive had to be complemented by access to land, infrastructural development and provision of basic amenities like health, education and water along with livelihood opportunities by the Afghan government to sustain returns and reintegration in Afghanistan.
It was reiterated that a stable prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan and therefore Pakistan would continue to support Afghanistan in its pursuit of peace as well as reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
In this respect, as a gesture of goodwill on the prime minister’s directive, the government would offer free wheat to Afghan returnees in the newly-established settlements inside Afghanistan for a period of three years.
The meeting emphasised the importance and need for the international community to support the Afghan government in its endeavours for reintegration of the displaced population through robust development interventions, particularly in the potential areas of return.
The do**rs must ensure that refugees and IDPs were an integral part of the overall Afghanistan’s national development strategies and plans. It was emphasised that the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan through political and diplomatic channels must pursue these objectives with the do**rs.
The upcoming conferences in New York and Brussels would provide appropriate platforms to highlight the protracted Afghan refugees issue and the need for its resolution.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by Safron secretary was directed to formulate a realistic action plan in light of the prime minister’s directive. The plan would be finalised in close coordination with the federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders as well as where required in consultation with UNHCR and MoRR of Afghanistan to ensure effective implementation.
This committee will also oversee and monitor the repatriation process regularly and report on monthly basis.
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ISLAMABAD: Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that Afghan refugees had occupied over one million jobs in Pakistan thus creating financial problems for the locals.
“It is difficult for the locals in various cities to find jobs as over one million Afghan refugees are working in Pakistan,” the minister added.
The government on Thursday decided to engage the Afghan government and UNHCR immediately to devise concrete steps to ensure the early sustained return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.The decision was taken at a meeting co-chaired by Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir Baloch.
During the meeting, Baloch made it clear that Afghan refugees would have to leave Pakistan come what may. “Pakistan can**t host Afghan refugees for further period,” he added. “The country’s eco**my is unable to bear the burden over two million refugees and they are left with ** other option but to leave Pakistan,” Baloch said.
The minister said Afghanistan didn’t fulfil its promise regarding repatriation of refugees. “Afghan government didn’t act upon the plan devised by Pakistan for repatriation of its citizens.”
Baloch termed the apprehensions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government regarding Afghan Refugees as genuine. “The P government is right in saying that Afghan refugees are hurting the eco**my and culture of the province beside their involvement in crimes,” the minister added.
The meeting was held in pursuance of the prime minister’s directive with respect to a six-month extension accorded for the stay of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would approach the Afghan government at political and diplomatic level, whereas the Ministry of Safron is to engage UNHCR and the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) to pursue and devise modalities for implementation of early return as well as the possibility of shifting Afghan refugees gradually from Pakistan to safer and peaceful areas of Afghanistan where the Afghan government should establish settlements, said a Foreign ****** statement.
Keeping in view the current political, socioeco**mic and security scenario, the meeting recognised the need for early return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with ho**ur and in dignity. However, emphasis remained on sustainable repatriation wherein all-out efforts are required to help the returnees reintegrate in Afghanistan.
The meeting recognised the importance of the forthcoming Tripartite Commission meeting on repatriation of Afghan refugees to be held on July 19 in Pakistan where the government would formally discuss this matter in detail with the Afghan minister of MoRR and UNHCR.
The meeting welcomed the an**uncement of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees during his recent visit to Pakistan regarding enhancing the repatriation grant from $200 to $400 per individual for registered Afghan returnees.
The meeting observed that the enhancement would incentivise returns and help anchor returnees in Afghanistan. However, it was felt that the incentive had to be complemented by access to land, infrastructural development and provision of basic amenities like health, education and water along with livelihood opportunities by the Afghan government to sustain returns and reintegration in Afghanistan.
It was reiterated that a stable prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan and therefore Pakistan would continue to support Afghanistan in its pursuit of peace as well as reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
In this respect, as a gesture of goodwill on the prime minister’s directive, the government would offer free wheat to Afghan returnees in the newly-established settlements inside Afghanistan for a period of three years.
The meeting emphasised the importance and need for the international community to support the Afghan government in its endeavours for reintegration of the displaced population through robust development interventions, particularly in the potential areas of return.
The do**rs must ensure that refugees and IDPs were an integral part of the overall Afghanistan’s national development strategies and plans. It was emphasised that the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan through political and diplomatic channels must pursue these objectives with the do**rs.
The upcoming conferences in New York and Brussels would provide appropriate platforms to highlight the protracted Afghan refugees issue and the need for its resolution.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by Safron secretary was directed to formulate a realistic action plan in light of the prime minister’s directive. The plan would be finalised in close coordination with the federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders as well as where required in consultation with UNHCR and MoRR of Afghanistan to ensure effective implementation.
This committee will also oversee and monitor the repatriation process regularly and report on monthly basis.
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