Ask any avid traveller about the most hospitable country theyve been to, and chances of Pakistan being mentioned would be slim because of the scarcity of visits to the country. But ask a refugee, especially one originating from Afghanistan, and Pakistan would be, quite literally, cited as a haven.
For those wondering how, the UNHCRs latest report presents an astonishing number of 1.9 million registered refugees in the country, the highest in the world in 2010. The number of refugees is also the largest in relation to the size of the Pakistani economy, with 710 refugees per $1 GDP (PPP) per capita.
Most of these asylum-seekers have originated from Pakistans war-torn neighbour, Afghanistan, with 96 percent of Afghan refugees having established Pakistan as their sanctuary.
Whats worrisome, however, is that while the UNHCRs tally of 1.9 million refugees appears quite staggering, the country may be housing far more unregistered ones.
For a refugee, the dismal conditions they live in make the move a hard bargain. From harassment by the Pakistani police to gender-related issues, Pakistan is close to a less-worse option for the refugees rather than a safe haven.
However, as resource-strained as Pakistan is, an additional 2 million mouths to feed is a burden, indeed. But even this aspect may be masked by the more daunting social impact of having too many illegal immigrants to count.
Not registered or documented by a comfortably inefficient government, fictitiously - or not-so-fictitiously - refugees will be free to play hoodlums as often as theyd want. In a country where those with valid CNICs and sometimes, and even exalted titles, get away unscathed regardless of the gravity of the crime they commit, it shouldn be hard to expect refugees to turn hooligan too.
Does anyone smell concerns at the law and order front?
Interestingly, contrary to what general logic would concede, it is the developing nations who
e playing the part of the igger person in the metaphorical sense of the phrase: richer nations share the burden of refugees considerably less than their underprivileged counterparts.
The UNHCR report notes that in contrast to 710 refugees per $1 of per capita GDP in Pakistan, and 247 in Kenya, Germany, which is home to the greatest number of refugees in Europe, houses merely 17 refugees per $1 of per capita GDP.
So when António Guterres, head of the UN refugee agency, appeals to richer nations "to increase their share of responsibility", one can help but agree with him, thanks to the irony of the situation.
Ironically, for a country like Pakistan which is perpetually looking for justifications to present to the West to drop more money in its beggar bowl, perhaps a case for additional aid to sustain the laterally growing population can be made.
Besides this derived and indirect advantage for Pakistan, one remains hard-pressed to see any benefit of being a number one in a category that announces more anxiety than delight.
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