Afghan refugees pose financial burden: Kakar

Balochistan governor speaks frankly about refugee impact on province

QUETTA:

Balochistan Governor Abdul Wali Khan Kakar has highlighted financial burden and negative impact of Afghan refugees on local population

In an address commemorating World Refugee Day in Quetta, Kakar expressed concerns about the shared resources and financial burden borne by the province due to Afghan refugees. He emphasized that after the onset of the war in Afghanistan in 1978, a large influx of people migrated to Pakistan, with millions settling in Balochistan and later dispersing to different countries.

However, the consequences of this mass migration on the people of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa remained largely unaddressed.

Governor Kakar acknowledged that Afghan refugees are treated as brothers but highlighted the lack of effective support provided to them.

While families of refugees receive financial assistance ranging from Rs10,000 to Rs25,000, the presence of refugees has adversely impacted local schools, hospitals, markets, and business activities.

The governor noted that the education system was not adequately prepared to accommodate the large number of refugees, resulting in significant disruptions to the education of local boys and girls.

Governor Balochistan expressed disappointment that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had not provided any financial assistance to the local population affected by the refugee presence. He stressed that while the refugees were undoubtedly facing hardships, their presence had also become a burden for Pakistan.

The governor criticized the lack of cooperation from UNHCR, stating that the local economy was already weak and the imposition of refugees on local businesses, land, and livestock had further devastated the region.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2023.