Mahira says will help educate refugee children

Highly acclaimed Pakistani iconic star Mahira Khan is also a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

PESHAWAR: Highly acclaimed Pakistani iconic star Mahira Khan who also happens to be the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador said on Saturday that the majority of Afghan refugees in Pakistan are children and she was personally interested to help them for their bright future.

Accompanied by UN High Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Filipo Grandi and other UNHCR representatives Mahira visited Afghan refugees camp at Azad Khel, Nowshera and met the refugees.



Speaking to the media Mahira said that she is very happy to have visited Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for the first time and met with Afghan refugees. She added that she had seen a vast number of children they have seen in the camps and she personally wanted to help them and educate them for their bright future.

On the occasion UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi shared that they are very thankful to Pakistan to host a large number of refugees since long time.

He said that Afghan refugees need more help and facilities in the field of education, health and other sectors. He said that Afghan refugees repatriation is continuing and other countries should focus more to resolve their issues.



Grandi said that security situation in Afghanistan is not stable while it is very difficult for the refugees to be repatriated to their country and arrange their needs for resettling there. He informed that around 4 million Afghan refugees had been repatriated so far to their home country, while Pakistan also wants voluntarily repatriates these refugees.

He said that new prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan also has taken interest in Afghan refugees’ issues and will try to help them and resolve their issues.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2018.