ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt. General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that increasing number of refugees across the globe is a big threat for the global and international community should play its vital role to resolve this issue.
While addressing at the world refugees day ceremony here on Monday organized by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), he said that due to the unrest in the different countries in the world the refugees figure increased and they are facing so many problems while Pakistan is hosting a large number of refugees from 37 years.
He said that the growing number of displacement globally and shrinking humanitarian funding is adversely affecting Pakistan, who has been hosting the world largest protracted refugee population.
The Minister said that “The issue of refugees affects and involves us all, and what it needs is understanding compassion and a firm resolve to come together and find real answers for the refugee plight”.
UNHCR’S annual Global Trends Report indicates that Pakistan with 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees remains among the world’s leading refugee hosting countries. Percent of register Afghan refugees are 2nd or 3rd generation born and raised in Pakistan.
Globally one in six of the refugees under UNHCR care were from Afghanistan 2.7 million people where almost 1.2 million people internally displaced.
Children constituted 51 percent of the world’s refugees according to GTR a tragic reflection of how global forced displacement is disproportionately affecting young live, in Pakistan children below the age of 18 constitute 50 percent of the total refugee population.
UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan Indrika Ratwatte paid rich tribute to the resilience of refugees and the generosity of host communities that provides shelter and protection for refugees.
Ratwatte said that UNHCR works for a world where every person forced to flee can be protected and build a better future.
He also stressed that the world needs to find new approaches and solutions and demonstrated political will to address the issue of displacement.
According to the UNHCR’s GTR report 65.5 million people were displaced as of the end of 2015, compared to 59.5 million just twelve months earlier.
Government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and UN agencies, UN staff and a large number of refugees from different countries were attended the event to commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions refugees.
Refugees children presented a mime drama depicting the lives of refugees, capoeria performance and cultural songs to mark this year’s world refugees day. A painting exhibition, showcasing the art of emerging refugee and Pakistan artists was also displayed on the subject of hope and courage.
Source: APP
