The Syrian crisis

ATTOCK: The outbreak of the Syrian civil war in March 2011 can be considered one of the worst humanitarian crises since the Second World War. An estimated 11 million Syrians have fled their homes, 6.6 million have been displaced within Syria, and 13.5 million are in need of humanitarian aid. The loss of infrastructure and the country’s beautiful Muslim heritage also tells a tragic story.

As humans and Muslims, there are some responsibilities that we need to take on. First, the government should take measures to welcome Syrian Muslims in Pakistan. Many European non-Muslims are sharing their homes with refugees and trying to rehabilitate them, so why can we not do the same?

Here, the question arises that Pakistan is still hosting many Afghan refugees after the passage of over three decades, and they are a burden on our economy. The issue is that the root causes of this burden are not properly addressed. The government should establish migration centres where refugee problems can be solved regarding either their employment or shelter.

Furthermore, universities should provide scholarships to refugee students. This can bring cultural harmony and diversity in the education sector. Doctors, along with their medical teams, should go to the devastated country as volunteers. NGOs should also come forward and provide aid to the people of Syria.

Lastly, if we cannot contribute financially and physically in alleviating this human crisis, then we can at least peacefully protest against this brutal war. The solution seems to be that the United Nations should take control of the country as a mandated territory. The UN should help mediate a dialogue between all stakeholders and foreign actors like the US, Iran, Russia and Turkey, which are involved in this proxy war.

Faisal Kaleem

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2016.

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