PESHAWAR, Jun 21 (APP): The International Refugee Day was celebrated in Mardan, with the aim of providing awareness of the sufferings and difficulties of migrants. The Day is observed to express solidarity with those who leave their homes and migrate to other places due to social disintegration, political tension and discrimination. It aims to create awareness about the problems they face.
On this day, a ceremony was held under the auspices of non-governmental organization IRSP at UNHCR in Mardan, which was addressed by Afghan refugee DA Shafiq, Ahmed Nawaz, IRSP Coordinator Masood, IRSP Altaf Khan, Idris Khan, Shah Fahad, Rabia Ali, female social worker Nusrat Ara, Hassan Hassal, Swabi’s Siddique of Afghan refugee Swabi, Malik Noor Ahmed, Abdul Wahid, Mursalin and others.
The speakers said that the people of Pakistan had shown exemplary generosity, hospitality and compassion to refugees in the country. The international community should not forget the long-standing plight of Afghan refugees, Pakistan is currently hosting more than 3 million Afghans, they said.
They demanded that the government of Pakistan should introduce comprehensive educational programs to equip the Afghan refugees with knowledge and skills and increase the quota of scholarships so that refugee children have access to quality education.
Masood Khan said that UNHCR was trying to solve the problems of Afghan refugees living in Afghan refugee camps.
In addition to providing clean drinking water and health facilities, Pakistan joins the international community in commemorating the International Refugee Day. This day reminds us to reflect on the drivers of forced displacement and to reaffirm our commitment to finding durable solutions to refugee situations, including conflict prevention and resolution.
For more than four decades, Pakistan has shouldered one of the world’s largest and longest-running refugee situations, hosting more than three million Afghans.
