RASC News Agency: On Monday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister, emphasizing the need for greater support for Afghanistani refugees. A spokesperson for the UNHCR in Pakistan stated that the Pakistani government underscored the necessity for more international assistance to address the issues faced by Afghanistani refugees.
During this meeting, the Pakistani government called for increased international aid for the refugees. Anadolu Agency reported that Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, began his discussions with senior Pakistani officials, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, addressing the expulsion of Afghanistani refugees.
Additionally, the UNHCR spokesperson in Pakistan mentioned, “In these meetings, the Pakistani government emphasized the need for more international support to address the issues of refugees, and the UNHCR acknowledged that more action is needed in this area.” Previously, Grandi met with several Afghanistani refugees and Amir Maqam, the Deputy Minister of the States and Frontier Regions of Pakistan.
The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions of Pakistan highlighted “economic challenges” as a significant barrier to hosting millions of refugees residing in Pakistan. It was noted that these challenges have prevented adequate support for the refugees. This comes as Pakistan has expelled over half a million undocumented Afghanistani refugees since November of last year.
Pakistani officials have stated that approximately 1.7 million Afghanistani refugees are living illegally in Pakistan. Despite this, the Pakistani government continues to issue warnings about their expulsion.
