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UNIED NATIONS, Oct 01 (APP):As the Rohingya Muslims flee brutal attacks and persecution in Myanmar, Pakistan has called for a “holistic and inclusive approach” in the South East Asian country to create conditions for their safe, dignified, and voluntary return from Bangladesh.
“The plight of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar remains one of the most urgent humanitarian and human rights challenges,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told a high-level conference during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
The conference on the crisis facing Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar — convened pursuant to the 193-member Assembly resolution in 2024 — seeks to sustain international attention, assess conditions on the ground and discuss a concrete, time-bound plan for a sustainable resolution, including steps to ensure the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced persons.
“These deliberations provide an opportunity to reaffirm our collective resolve to pursue a balanced and pragmatic way forward, seeking solutions anchored in compassion and shared responsibility, through dialogue and engagement, all while respecting Myanmar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Pakistani envoy said.
“For too long, the Rohingya have endured displacement and limited access to rights and services,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, noting that the recent upsurge of violence in Rakhine State has further intensified their suffering, forcing many to flee, and worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.
Pakistan, he said, commended Bangladesh and other host countries for their generosity in sheltering displaced Rohingyas, pointing out that Islamabad understand their situation having hosted millions of refugees for decades.
“For a lasting solution, it is essential to address the root causes of this crisis. Full implementation of the Advisory Commission’s recommendations, particularly on pathways to citizenship, would enable safe and dignified return,” the Pakistani envoy said, calling it vital for durable peace and reconciliation, thus creating the conditions for the early return of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities.
“Pakistan stands ready to work with all partners, including the UN, ASEAN and OIC to meet the humanitarian needs and promote lasting stability in Myanmar.”
In her opening remarks, the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, recalled that over the past eight years, millions of Rohingya have been violently displaced from what they once knew as home.
“They fled with children on their backs, with nothing but the money in their pockets,” she said, noting that many have been forced to live in refugee camps, with boys and girls spending their entire childhood in tattered tents. Over 3.5 million Rohingya inside Myanmar desperately need humanitarian assistance. Bangladesh, already hosting 1.1 million Rohingya, “cannot shoulder this burden indefinitely”, she warned.
On the dire situation in Cox’s Bazar — location of the world’s largest refugee camp — she described how even access to water is scarce. One young refugee put it starkly: “If water is life, then life here is on hold — because it doesn’t flow where it should.” Yet, the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Myanmar is only 12 per cent funded.
“Rohingya men, women and children have not chosen to live in refugee camps,” she stressed. “Our response must match [their extraordinary resilience].”