Playing Host to the World's Largest Population of Refugees and IDPs
By Dr. A. Khan
Chicago , IL
For the past three decades, Pakistan has played host to the largest population of refugees in the world. In 1979, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan triggered a mass exodus of refugees to Pakistan and Iran; more than five million Afghan refugees entered Pakistan and three million went to Iran. According to the UNHCR census data, more than three million of Afghan refugees still remain in Pakistan, and presently with the number of Internally displaced people (IDP) surging past 2.4 million Pakistan faces the biggest humanitarian crisis of the 21 st century, but the help and support offered by the international community and the United Nations response has been very inadequate.
The UNHCR's (United Nation’s Refugee Agency) Statistical Yearbook 2007 Trends in Displacement, Protection and Solutions (December 2008) available at http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/4981b19d2.html presents some interesting facts about the Afghan refugee population in Pakistan; a summary of these facts is as follows:
- Pakistan continued to be the country with the single largest number of refugees.
- Afghanistan continued to be the leading country of origin for refugee. At the end of 2007, there were about 3.1 million refugees, or 27 percent of global refugee population (11.4 million). Ninety-six percent of Afghan refugees are located in Pakistan and Iran.
- Pakistan hosted the largest number of refugees in relation to its economic capacity. At the end of 2007, Pakistan hosted 785 refugees per $ 1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (PPP) per capita.
According to the UNHCR census data of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, there are about 548,105 Afghan families, constituting 3,049,268 individuals, currently residing in Pakistan: about 62% live in NWFP, 25% in Balochistan, 7% in Punjab and 4% in Sindh. About 58% of the population lives outside camps while 42% lives in UNHCR-assisted camps.
These Afghan refugees have been forgotten by the international community. Pakistan has paid a heavy socio-economic cost for allowing these refugees to stay in the country. For Afghan families who live outside the camps, and are struggling to survive, the UNHCR should provide each Afghan family a monthly grant for sustenance, educational and health needs. The UNHCR should also make plans to teach new skills to the young generation of Afghan refugees to make them productive and responsible citizens on their return to Afghanistan. The UNHCR, in collaboration with the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan, should make plans to repatriate the refugees to their native towns and villages in Afghanistan.
As for the IDPs, the military and the civilian agencies need to coordinate relief and rehabilitation activities with domestic and international relief agencies. In this regard they ought to pursue short-term relief efforts tied to the long-term rehabilitation plans. The government needs to make sure that the IDPs receive:
- Assistance in traveling so that they can go to any place in Pakistan to live with their relatives or live on their own during this testing times.
- Appropriate supply of water, food, and shelter.
- Weekly stipends for sustenance.
- Adequate counseling services to overcome their extreme stress and depression.
- Adequate educational, health and social services.
- New skills training so that they could earn a living when they go back to their villages and towns.
- Adequate compensation for the loss/damage of/to their properties/crops/assets.
The UNHCR and other agencies should acquire and supply solar-powered fans, solar- and wind-powered portable electric appliances and electricity generating units, medical supplies, and water purifying units for IDP camps. They should also offer new skills training to adults in the camps.
It is incumbent on all overseas Pakistanis, especially those living in North America, to help IDPs by donating appropriate funds and volunteering services through the charity of their choice.
