The Afghan refugees: Balancing humanitarian support and national challenges – The Financial Daily

Over decades Pakistan has been playing the role of host for the Afghan Refugees to settle them in country because of war, political instability and economic hardships in their homeland. On the other hand, we also see that Pakistan is a developing country and hosting these millions of refugees is a burden on it. After their settlement in Pakistan many social, economic and political issues increased in the country. In this article we will see that how their migration to Pakistan has remained beneficial and how it is putting pressure on the country’s stability.

During the invasion of Soviet and United States in Afghanistan millions of Afghans migrated to Pakistan and Iran. The number of refugees migrated to Pakistan during these invasions is about 2.9 million but after Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan about 7 lakh Afghans fled to Pakistan. Now in recent times the estimated population of these refugees is about 3.5 million. They are settled in different regions of Pakistan as a result of which the country is facing significant crisis and sanctions. We can see that Pakistan is giving place to these refugees, although it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention of the United Nations. It means the country is showing gestures to refugees and building their positive image in the international arena. Pakistan was not alone but is helped by UNHCR and international donors assisting and providing shelter to these refuges.

The settlement of these refugees gives two-sided view on Pakistan. They put a positive impact on the country by working in low wages and creating a way to economic sustainability in the country. The region in which they are settled in large population is Quetta and Peshawar. Before their settlement these regions were not constructed well. For their business purposes the development is made in the transportation and construction.

The main thing is that the business in these regions increased because of the skilled Afghan labor works on cheaper rates. This brought the more capital. Due to them the local economies in these regions have boosted up and brought opportunities for poor people to fulfill their daily needs. There are no details about the economic input that these Afghans have contributed into Pakistan economy because of many undocumented Afghan refugees.

During the last few years, Pakistan forced illegal migrants to leave the country but in new orders Government is doing repatriation of both the illegal and documented refugees. Mainly, this issue has been raised by the Punjab Government and after that many other influential leaders agreed on this repatriation. The main reason is that they are putting burden on the country’s natural resources, health facilities, increased crime rate and their likely support to the terrorist group. They are taking the resources, employment and other facilities of Pakistani citizens and creating the problem for them.

The increased crime rate and many terrorist attacks in recent years are carried out by Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan allegedly with the help of these refugees because around 1.5 million of them are undocumented and are involved in attack without any identity. This all is happening because there is no proper checks and balances on the border (Durand Line) during the migration towards Pakistan because of the ongoing dispute between the Taliban and Pakistan on border line. The migrants enter the country without getting proper documentation. By doing this they are becoming a burdenonthe country that is itself going towards political and economic deprivations.

Pakistani citizens are facing the unemployment, poverty and health crisis. Fulfilling the needs of these millions of refugees is creating hurdles for the citizens to fulfill their own basic needs. Also, the international aid and programs are helping these refugees by giving them shelter and basic assistance for survival not providing them the employment and other resources for their survival. So, they depend on these resources (jobs, healthcare, education etc.) of host country.

After January 20 this year, the United States reduced the foreign aid that was the 40% of 100 million dollars but now 90% of that aid was cut off, reducing the humanitarian support worldwide. The United Nations had also rejected the visas of 20,000 Afghan refugees that are permanently settling in the United States. The developed nations have rejected to settle these refugees in their countries then why Pakistan should settles them permanently in their country that is already going through many crises. This international community had almost left Pakistan alone to face this humanitarian crisis and ongoing problems. These nations should accept refugees and host them to reduce the burden on Pakistan to make step towards the stability and progress.

These Afghan refugees have good relationships with the other tribes of KPK province and they are running their business for decades that is putting the positive impact on the Pakistan society. Alongside this they had shown as a burden on the country and its resources and are committing social crimes and almost supporting the terrorist group. The national security of Pakistani state is foremost than any other threatening element. We should prioritize the citizens of Pakistan over the refugees and fulfill all the requirements that are basic for their survival. By prioritizing the citizens, we can achieve our better national interest and maintain the national security at a high level without any polarization.

They have become a burden on the country to some extent, but their repatriation should be through proper policy and regulation. The reason is that they are settled here, invested in the country and now again going back to face that is difficult step for them because their running government is implementing strict rules on women’s that will more hurdles to live in that environment instead of that where they spent their freedom and liberty. Also, they will not get the same opportunities as they are getting from Pakistan. So, there will be a need for thoughtful management and formulation of policy for refugees to avoid humanitarian crisis.