HARIPUR: Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan Affairs, Engr Amir Muqam on Saturday said that peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan.
He was addressing the Afghans refugees at Malik Abdul Samad Panyan refugee camp where he inaugurated a clean drinking water project for them.
Commissioner Afghans Refugees, Shakeel Safi, representatives of the Afghan Community and UNICEF officials were also present.
In his address, Federal Minister Engr Amir Muqam said that the Government of Pakistan was taking all possible measures for the assistance and welfare of Afghan refugees, and the provision of clean drinking water to Afghan refugees was proof of it.
He said that Pakistan was the only country in the world where over three million Afghan refugees including about 1.4 million POR Card holders were still living mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan. He said that the people and Government of Pakistan have extended all-out support to millions of Afghan refuges during their longest 45 years stay in Pakistan.
Engr Amir Muqam made it clear that Afghan refugees have to return to their country. However, he said that voluntary and dignified repatriation of the Afghan refugees is being encouraged. He said that great responsibilities rest on the Afghan government to create a peaceful and secure environment for the dignified return of the Afghan refugees to their home country.
He expressed the hope that the Afghan government would seriously work for the resettlement of millions of Afghan refugees by taking this issue on a priority basis and creating a secure and peaceful environment for them so that could live there with dignity and did not return to Pakistan illegally.
Engr Amir Muqam said that the government has extended the stay of the Afghan Refugees for one year. He said that no government in the world can allow the stay of illegal immigrants and that legal visas and travelling documents were required for foreigners to stay in Pakistan.
He emphasized on international donor agencies and UN organizations to help launch mega projects for the welfare of host communities who extended all possible support to Afghan refugees in their respective areas in Pakistan.
The federal minister stressed on the Afghan government to ensure that its soil should not be used for terrorism and subversive attacks against Pakistan. Engr Amir Muqam claimed that a political party that deceived the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the name of change, has used Afghan refugees after the people of Pakistan kept a distance from its Nov 26 uncalled-for protest and made hooliganism in a bid to achieve its ill objectives but failed.
He said the use of Afghan refugees in agitation rallies and protest marches in Islamabad for vested interests was highly deplorable.
Engr Amir Muqam said that we stand in respect of the national anthem of Afghanistan while a senior Afghan Official did not stand in respect of Pakistan’s national anthem at Peshawar in the recent past which was highly condemnable.
He said that the Ministry of SAFRON along with relevant departments and donor agencies were working on different projects including water and solarization to provide relief to the Afghan Refugees living in camps in Pakistan.
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