Afghan Refugee living in Pakistan is a Problem.

THE displacement of Afghans from their homeland has been described as the worlds longest-running refugee crisis, now entering its fourth decade. And due to a variety of reasons, Pakistan has borne the brunt of the crisis. Last week, the National Assemblys Public Accounts Committee was told that there are around one million Afghans living in Pakistan illegally.This is in addition to 1.7 million registered refugees. The PAC was informed that the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Safron) which deals with refugees was facing a paucity of funds, as millions of dollars promised by international donors had been held back. Yet there was also stinging criticism that funds meant for refugees were spent on officials junkets and air conditioners. Some parliamentarians were quite critical of the refugees, describing them as a burden. Considering the pressure put on the system by such a large number of people, the Afghans are an easy target for criticism. While the situation in Afghanistan may not be conducive for the refugees return due to militant violence and a weak economy, Pakistans problems, including a creaking infrastructure unable to cater to a large population, are also considerable.

Some officials have voiced support for evicting the Afghan refugees. However, we feel repatriation should be voluntary. The state needs to focus on registering all undocumented Afghans so that the refugee issue can be properly managed, as well as for security reasons. As for the shortage of funds, while the international community needs to deliver on its promises as the problem is not Pakistans alone, Safron must also plug the leaks. The ultimate solution to the Afghan refugee question is a peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan. Until that seemingly distant goal is realised, the international community needs to continue to help Pakistan repatriate Afghan refugees wanting to go back and care for the ones still residing in this country.