Pakistan has brought attention to the tragic sinking of an overloaded boat off the Greek coast last month during a session at the United Nations. The incident resulted in the loss of 700 lives, including Pakistani nationals. Ambassador Aamir Khan, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, emphasized the need to enhance rescue operations in order to prevent further loss of life.
Speaking at the UN Security Council's "Arria-Formula" meeting on the topic of 'Refugees and Asylum Seekers crossing borders on Land and At Sea: New Wave of Crisis,' Ambassador Khan highlighted the increasing peril of Mediterranean Sea crossings. He stressed the urgency of addressing this issue and called for scaling up rescue efforts to save lives.
The meeting, convened by Russia, allowed for an informal consultation process under the Arria formula. This format provides an opportunity for the Council to hear from individuals in a confidential and informal setting.
In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy highlighted the deadly migrant shipwreck that occurred on June 22, 2023, as he underscored the need for developing mechanisms for people in distress at sea.
“As responsible members of the international community, it is incumbent on us all to ensure the safety and security of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, uphold international law including maritime law, and enforce the prompt rescue of individuals in distress at sea, regardless of their nationality or circumstances,” he said. There were news reports at the time that Greek coastguards were slow in reacting to the distress call from people aboard the sinking ship.“One life lost is one too many,” Ambassador Aamir Khan said, adding, “As civilised nations, it is our responsibility to ensure that no life is lost at anytime, anywhere and under all circumstances.
“We must undertake all efforts including by developing a transparent, safe and predictable disembarkation mechanisms for people in distress at sea, while complying with international obligations and without obstructing humanitarian efforts.”
Referring to the deepening humanitarian crisis, the Pakistani envoy said that the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) provided a good framework by outlining key objectives to ease pressure on host countries, enhance refugee self-reliance, expand third-country solutions, and support safe and dignified returns.
At the same time, he said the recent GCR Indicator Report called for burden-sharing and strengthening efforts, as ten countries bear the weight of hosting over three-quarters of the world’s refugees, with developing nations accommodating 80% of displaced individuals.
“This is unfair and unequal and cannot be rectified by a business-as-usual approach,” Aamir Khan said.
“We will have to do more … if we want to prevent already desperate situations from becoming catastrophic.”
On its part, he said Pakistan is hosting 3.5 million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees for four decades, despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.“The humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan necessitates swift international assistance to prevent the prospect of the influx of millions of desperate Afghans seeking refuge from hunger and starvation,” Aamir Khan said, pointing out that Pakistan cannot shoulder any new influx.
“We must help Afghan people. We must not neglect Afghanistan and divert attention away to other emergencies,” he added.
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