Shifting Afghan refugees: Minister urges UN agencies to fulfil commitment

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam on Sunday called upon the United Nations (UN) agencies to fulfil their commitment of repatriating Afghan refugees or shifting them to another country as well as resolving the issues of countries hosted them.

While addressing the Afghan refugees during his visit to Commissionerate Afghan Refugees Sindh here, he said that the people of third world countries were given shelter in Pakistan, and it was promised that they would be shifted to another country.

He said that they must be shifted on war-footing basis. He warned that those Afghanis, who were living illegally in the country would have to leave Pakistan. The Federal Minister Amir Muqam said that around 3 million Afghanis had been hosted in the country for many years. He said, ‘It is a fact that you will have to go.’

He said that all had to play their role to send Afghan refugees back to their country with respect and dignity.

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He said, ‘You and we will also be happy if you return back to your home country.’

Muqam said that Pakistan was being sent corpse. He said that the Afghan government should realize the situation. He said that the resources should be used in favour of both the countries. He also urged the Afghan refugees to speak up against the use of Afghan land for Pakistan. He further said that they were also your (Afghan refugees) enemies, who were making things worse.

The minister said, ‘Peace is in favour of Pakistan and Afghanistan.’ While re-urging the Afghan refugees, he asked them to keep a vigil on anti-state and anti-Pakistan elements. Amir Muqam said that the present federal government struggled and saved the country from becoming default. He said that the government along with coalition partners was trying to pull the country out of challenges.

He said that the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had a vision. He said that inflation had dropped. The Minister said that interest rate was 22 percent a year ago and now it had reached at 12 percent. He also lauded the overseas Pakistanis for sending25 percent more remittances to Pakistan rejecting a negative agenda against Pakistan by some local elements.

He further said that the future of Pakistan was bright.

The Acting Commissioner Afghan Refugees Sindh Qaimuddin Ansari and Representative of Afghan Refugees in Sindh Abdullah Bukhair also spoke on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025