Pakistan hosting over 2m Afghan refugees

Pakistan

Pakistan hosting over 2m Afghan refugees

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Pakistan is presently hosting 1.7 million Afghan refugees.

14 June,2012 08:48 pm

This was stated by the Secretary ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Dr. Imran Zeb while giving the press briefing on solution strategies for Afghan refugees, here on Thursday.He said that UNHCR, Aghanistan, Pakistan and Iran for the first time join hands to bring the refugees back to their homeland in a respective manner. Speaking on the occasion the county director UNHCR Neill Wright said that Pakistan is the biggest host for Afghan refugees since last three decades. He added that UNHCR never forced refugees to return their homes but requested the respective countries for their solutions. He expressed that 5.1 million refugees returned to their homeland in a dignified manner since2002.He said that UNHCR, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran held a solution strategy conference in Geneva on May 2nd and 3rd this year to spark rehabilitation and reintegration efforts inside Afghanistan and start development of refugee affected areas in Afghanistan.He added that 43 million people still displaced around the world and this regional approach was revised for the first time to seek dignified return of Afghan refugees.To a question he responded that UNHCR will request the Pakistani government to respect the right to documentary security of Afghan refugees under international law.He concluded that through finding solution for Afghan refugees the UNHCR is helping to promote stability not only in Afghanistan but in the region also.