PM Imran warns of new refugee crisis originating from India
Says Pakistan has extended the best ever support to the Afghan peace process
PHOTO: TWITTER
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday reiterated his warning that another refugee crisis could arise for Pakistan if the international community failed to take notice of the current situation in India.
Speaking at the two-day refugee summit in Islamabad on 40 years of hosting Afghan refugees in Pakistan, the premier said India's ultranationalist ideology based on Nazism going unchecked could lead to destruction and the region could become a flashpoint.
Imran said the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that they can destroy Pakistan in eleven days is not a responsible statement by a premier of a nuclear state with a huge population.
“Because of the Hindutva ideology Kashmiris have been persecuted for over 200 days while living under a lockdown,” Imran stressed adding that under the same ideology, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government passed two discriminatory nationalistic legislation, targeting 200 million Muslims in India.
Referring to the Afghan peace process, Imran said that Pakistan has extended the best ever support to the Afghan peace process.
“We need peace in Afghanistan for development and prosperity of internally displaced people,” the premier stressed stating that development could only be possible through trade and friendly relations, which will also help both the countries to improve their relations with other central Asian states.
“I say it with pride that my country has hosted millions of refugees,” PM Imran said adding that despite economic challenges, Pakistan has kept good relations with Afghan refugees.
The premier said Pakistan is celebrating 40 years of hosting refugees.
He further said that political leaders have used the refugees’ crisis for personal gain to bag votes and spread hate.
Imran stated that following the September 11 terrorist attack, Islamophobia compounded to the miseries of the refugees.
Speaking at the conference, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan is pursuing a policy of return of Afghan refugees with dignity, safety and honor.
The minister said peace and stability is indispensable and Pakistan would continue supporting an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.
“Pakistan has hosted five million Afghan refugees and today three million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan,” he said adding that the Pak-Afghan relations have provided impetus to host millions of Afghan refugees.
He further urged the world to join hands with Pakistan to provide basic needs to the Afghan refugees and enable them to live a dignified life, underscoring the need for international cooperation more than ever before.
“Caring should be a shared responsibility more so when the Afghan refugees expect the world to rebuild their country after restoration of peace,” he stated.
Afghan Second Vice President Danish Sarwar said they are thankful to Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees for 40 years.
We cannot forget how Pakistan and Iran opened their doors for Afghan refugees,” he said lauding Islamabad’s efforts for playing the role of a brotherly country by hosting millions of refugees.
The second vice president said the Afghan government wants repatriation of Afghan refugees, however, for that, ending the war was imperative.
Addressing the conference UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said for the last 40 years, people of Pakistan have stood with their Afghan neighbors.
“The refugee crisis has had an impact on the local economy, infrastructure, and security,” he stated
The high commissioner said international support to the Afghan refugees remained insufficient and appealed to donors to lend support for development in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday reiterated his warning that another refugee crisis could arise for Pakistan if the international community failed to take notice of the current situation in India.
Speaking at the two-day refugee summit in Islamabad on 40 years of hosting Afghan refugees in Pakistan, the premier said India's ultranationalist ideology based on Nazism going unchecked could lead to destruction and the region could become a flashpoint.
Imran said the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that they can destroy Pakistan in eleven days is not a responsible statement by a premier of a nuclear state with a huge population.
“Because of the Hindutva ideology Kashmiris have been persecuted for over 200 days while living under a lockdown,” Imran stressed adding that under the same ideology, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government passed two discriminatory nationalistic legislation, targeting 200 million Muslims in India.
Referring to the Afghan peace process, Imran said that Pakistan has extended the best ever support to the Afghan peace process.
“We need peace in Afghanistan for development and prosperity of internally displaced people,” the premier stressed stating that development could only be possible through trade and friendly relations, which will also help both the countries to improve their relations with other central Asian states.
“I say it with pride that my country has hosted millions of refugees,” PM Imran said adding that despite economic challenges, Pakistan has kept good relations with Afghan refugees.
The premier said Pakistan is celebrating 40 years of hosting refugees.
He further said that political leaders have used the refugees’ crisis for personal gain to bag votes and spread hate.
Imran stated that following the September 11 terrorist attack, Islamophobia compounded to the miseries of the refugees.
Speaking at the conference, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan is pursuing a policy of return of Afghan refugees with dignity, safety and honor.
The minister said peace and stability is indispensable and Pakistan would continue supporting an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.
“Pakistan has hosted five million Afghan refugees and today three million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan,” he said adding that the Pak-Afghan relations have provided impetus to host millions of Afghan refugees.
He further urged the world to join hands with Pakistan to provide basic needs to the Afghan refugees and enable them to live a dignified life, underscoring the need for international cooperation more than ever before.
“Caring should be a shared responsibility more so when the Afghan refugees expect the world to rebuild their country after restoration of peace,” he stated.
Afghan Second Vice President Danish Sarwar said they are thankful to Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees for 40 years.
We cannot forget how Pakistan and Iran opened their doors for Afghan refugees,” he said lauding Islamabad’s efforts for playing the role of a brotherly country by hosting millions of refugees.
The second vice president said the Afghan government wants repatriation of Afghan refugees, however, for that, ending the war was imperative.
Addressing the conference UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said for the last 40 years, people of Pakistan have stood with their Afghan neighbors.
“The refugee crisis has had an impact on the local economy, infrastructure, and security,” he stated
The high commissioner said international support to the Afghan refugees remained insufficient and appealed to donors to lend support for development in Afghanistan.