RASC News Agency: Nasir Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, underscored the need for an inclusive and accountable government in Afghanistan as a fundamental solution to the Afghanistani refugee crisis. Speaking before the UN’s Third Committee on refugees, Faiq highlighted that millions of Afghanistanis live under Taliban rule without access to security, stability, and basic rights. His remarks, shared on the social media platform X on Friday, reflect the harsh reality faced by Afghanistan’s people under current governance.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, over a million Afghanistani citizens have fled to neighboring countries, seeking refuge from increased violence, severe economic hardship, and systematic human rights violations by the Taliban. Faiq warned that the number of Afghanistani refugees has now reached an alarming 5.53 million, exerting significant pressure on host nations, particularly Iran and Pakistan. He pointed out that conditions for Afghanistani refugees in these countries have worsened, with Pakistan alone forcibly repatriating 733,000 refugees since September of last year.
Faiq emphasized the limited access to education for Afghanistani refugee children and highlighted the inadequate healthcare and banking services available to refugees in host countries. He reported that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) faces a critical 70% funding shortfall for its operations in Afghanistan, further straining its capacity to support Afghanistani refugees effectively.
In light of these challenges, Faiq called on the international community to increase financial support, expand resettlement options for returning refugees, and halt forced deportations of Afghanistani refugees. His comments come as Iran and Pakistan have intensified efforts to expel Afghanistani refugees over the past year, further compounding Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis under Taliban rule.
