UNHCR calls for compassion for Afghan refugees in Pakistan

WEB DESK: As Pakistan celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Philippa Candler has called for compassion toward Afghan refugees facing uncertainty amid government repatriation deadlines, urging a “multifaceted approach” to address one of the world’s most protracted displacement crises.

Pakistan currently hosts 1.52 million registered Afghan refugees, along with an estimated 800,000 undocumented Afghans, many of whom arrived after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. Recent government directives on repatriation have caused “overwhelming uncertainty,” particularly for vulnerable groups like widowed mothers and their children.

No extension in March 31 deadline for Afghans to leave Pakistan

“Many [refugees] have become woven into Pakistan’s society, contributing to agriculture, construction, and urban economies,” she said. Yet, limited legal rights and discrimination persist, pushing many to society’s margins.

Pakistan’s burden and global responsibility

While praising Pakistan’s “admirable” hospitality, Candler acknowledged the strain on public services and security challenges. “The international community must step up,” she stressed, highlighting that 85 percent of UNHCR’s 4,500 projects since 2009—including hospital upgrades and school solarisation—have benefited Pakistani host communities.

Despite the setback the development agencies are facing in the US right now, UNHCR has proposed safe, voluntary returns contingent on Afghanistan’s stability, with support for reintegration (especially for women and girls), legal protections and livelihood access for refugees remaining in Pakistan as well as expanded international funding, such as the World Bank’s IDA 18 program aiding KP and Balochistan.

“As Ramadan ends, we must remember refugees are not statistics but people who’ve endured unimaginable hardships,” Candler said, urging a “new chapter” of shared responsibility among Afghanistan, Pakistan, and global partners.