Prevent another 'impending refugee crises': PM Imran alarms world on Kashmir
PM Imran will also have bilateral interaction with his counterparts and with the UN leadership.
GENEVA (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday urged the international community to take a serious note of gross violations of human rights in occupied Kashmir as about eight million people have been besieged by Indian troops after the Modi regime revoked its special autonomy, and the conflict that could lead to another refugee crises.
PM Imran co-convened the first ever two-day Global Refugee Forum (GRF) co-hosted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the U.N. Refugee Agency and the Swiss Government in Geneva, Switzerland.
He alarmed the world leaders that Kashmir conflict between the two nuclear-armed states could escalate.
“… but, I want to specially pay a tribute to president Erdogan of Turkey and people of Turkey for hosting the largest refugee population,” PM Khan said.
“Pakistan was born out of the biggest refugee problem in the history of mankind, and we were inspired by Holy Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, who was a refugee […] I am were proud to say that Pakistan hosted 1.4 million refugees and still after 40 years, Pakistan still has 1.4 million registered refugees, and overall the Afghans in Pakistan [are] three million,” he stated.
“Countries which don’t have [enough] resources, and can’t look after their own population and can’t provide basic needs, they are struggling to develop their human resources, for them a large refugee population causes problems which can’t be imagined by the richer countries,” he added.
“I see the European countries struggling with the refugee problem and the emergence of the right-wing which cashes in on the public distress faced by the public because of the lack of jobs […] they cash in on the refugees,” he said.
“We in Pakistan have been through this, four million refugees and today almost three million refugees, the country where there is massive unemployment we know what we go through as a prime minister, I can tell you that we face daily problems where our people want jobs and clearly the refugees can become a target, but I am very proud of my people for the hospitality they have shown to the refugees for over 40 years.”
“…but the main point I want to make here today is that prevention is better than the cure, we must all try and prevent people from becoming refugees.”
“In Pakistan, we are trying our best for the peace process in Afghanistan so that the refugees could return with dignity and we are praying that this peace process now succeeds […] there’s is a political settlement in Afghanistan so that the people of Afghanistan who have been suffering from 40 years of conflict, finally, [could] enjoy peace,” he said.
PM Khan, importantly, alarmed the world leaders about what he said “impending refugee crisis about to take place.”
He, then, recalled India’s unilateral abrogation of Article 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution.
“Since Aug. 5, eight million Kashmiris have been shut inside […], there rights have been taken, people have been imprisoned, all communications have been cut off […] but the most important thing, the world needs to understand is that the professed aim is to change the demography of Kashmir from Muslim majority to Muslim minority."
“Now, if this is what the professed aim is, then we are likely to have another refugee crises, a refugee crises that will dwarf other crises.”
“In the United Nations General Assembly, I tried to appeal to the world community that they must take notice of this what is going to happen [in Kashmir].”
“Whenever the curfew is lifted, there are 900,000 Indian troops there, they are trying to change the demography by settling in Hindu population into Kashmir, what is going to happen then.”
“So we know from our past experience that the prevention is better than the cure, if the world acts right know, and puts pressure on the Indian government to stop this illegal activity we could prevent this crisis,” he outlined.
However, the premier warned that once the crisis was triggered, it would be difficult to handle it, and gave an example of refugees in Turkey.
“Take notice of what’s happening,” he said, adding, “We in Pakistan are not worried that there will be a refugee crisis but we are worried that this could lead to a conflict ‘a conflict between nuclear armed countries.”
“The secretary general I’m looking forward to inviting you to Pakistan in February when we host the refugee conference there […] but I really appeal to the world community that this is the time to take notice,” he pointed out.
“Secondly there’s another thing happening in India […] In Assam, the government has passed the Citizen Registration Act that means every citizen has to prove their citizenship.”
“This was what happened in Myanmar before the ethnic cleansing of Muslims started, there they were all supposed to first prove their citizenship.”
“This is what’s happening in Assam, some two million people, mostly Muslims are now required to prove that they are actually the citizens of India, and according to one of the Indian ministers the same act would be all over India by 2024,” he observed.
Earlier, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi addressed the forum, and called for a smart and comprehensive plan to address the refugee crisis.
He asserted that the forum needed a broad alliance of governments, aid communities, businesses, civil society and academia.
The High Commissioner expressed confidence that the forum would come up with a vast array of initiatives and pledges to truly express solidarity with the refugees.
Upon arrival at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), Mr Grandi received Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Earlier, Prime Minister’s Office issued a press release stating that the premier was accompanied by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Bukhari and Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood.
It stated that the premier would "articulate Pakistan’s perspective, experience and contribution to the Afghan refugees" at the forum.
"Co-convening of the GRF is recognition of Pakistan’s generosity, humanitarian leadership, and compassion of the people of Pakistan towards their Afghan brothers and sisters for the past forty years," the press release added.
Pakistan’s permanent representative at U.N. office in Geneva Khalil Hashmi welcomed him on arrival at the Geneva Airport. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, High level Swiss officials and Pakistani Ambassador in Switzerland were also present at the airport to receive the Prime Minister.
The first-ever Global Refugee Forum has been convened in recognition of exemplary role for the protection and well-being of refugees by several countries including Pakistan, the ministry said in a statement.
PM Khan, along with leaders from other countries, has been invited to co-convene the forum and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also address the forum, according to the statement.
The forum is expected to galvanise political support and solidarity and broaden the base of commitments from states, international organisations, private sectors and civil society to deal with the growing number of refugee situations across the world, the Foreign Ministry said.
"Co-convening of the GRF is recognition of Pakistan’s generosity, humanitarian leadership, and compassion of the people of Pakistan towards their Afghan brothers and sisters for the past 40 years," the ministry said.
The prime minister, during his stay in Geneva, will also have bilateral interaction with his counterparts and with the UN leadership.
Pakistan still hosts nearly 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, according the UN Refugee Agency. Besides registered refugees, Pakistan also hosts about one million refugees who have not been registered.
Prior to his visit to Geneva, PM Imran visited Bahrain where he was awarded the country’s highest civil award by King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
