ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Pakistan is pursuinga policy of return of Afghan refugees with dignity, safety and honor.
He was addressing two-day Refugee Summit Islamabad on 40 years of hostingAfghan refugees in Pakistan on Monday.
The Minister said peace and stability is indispensable and Pakistan wouldcontinue supporting Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process.
He said every refugee is hoping that peace will restore leading torepatriation.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan hosted five million Afghan refugees andtoday three million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees areresiding in Pakistan.
He said Pak-Afghan relations have provided impetus to host millions ofAfghan refugees.
The Foreign Minister urged the world to join hands with Pakistan to providebasic needs to Afghan refugees and enable them to live a dignified life.
He said international cooperation is required more than ever before.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said caring should be a shared responsibility.
He said Afghan refugees are expecting the world to rebuild their countryafter restoration of peace there.
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Speaking on the occasion, Afghan Second Vice President Danish Sarwar saidthey are thankful to Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees for forty years.
He said Pakistan played the role of a brotherly country by hosting millionsof Afghan refugees. He said we cannot forget as to how Pakistan and Iranopened their doors for Afghan refugees.
The Afghan Second Vice President said his government wants repatriation ofAfghan refugees; however, for that, end of the war is imperative.
Addressing the conference UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandisaid for the last 40 years, the people of Pakistan have stood with Afghanneighbors.
He said Pakistan’s solidarity to hosting refugees is admirable.
However, he said, generosity does not come without cost, but it has impacton local economy, infrastructure and security.
The High Commissioner said international support to the Afghan refugeesremained insufficient. He appealed to donors to lend support fordevelopment in Afghanistan.
