Hosting Refugees: Int’l community asked to play its role

Minister for SAFRON says federal govt planning to raise proposals for funding larger projects under RAHA initiative.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for SAFRON Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch said that Pakistan has been hosting refugees for more than three decades and hoped that international community will come forward and play role in supporting the development of areas where the refugees were living. “The international community has to play a vital role to help Afghanistan rebuild and substantially enhance its absorption capacity,” the minister said this during a joint UN-Government briefing regarding the implementation of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees. The minister said that the federal government is planning to raise proposals for funding larger projects under the RAHA initiative. “We will put proposals before potential donors to support us in setting up technical institutes at district level, upgrading health and education facilities and provision of clean drinking water facilities,” he added. “There is a clear window of opportunity for the international community to have a positive impact on the future of Afghanistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2013.