Islamabad: Oct 30, 2021 (TNS): At the United Nations, Pakistan has called for immediate steps to rectify the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan, especially as the winter approaches.
Speaking at an interactive dialogue in the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, Pakistani delegate Saima Saleem said in these circumstances, the freezing of Afghan government’s overseas assets is entirely unjustified.
She said the intensifying suffering of Afghan people can trigger massive outflow of refugees, revive internal displacement and threat of terrorism.
Saima Saleem also urged the developed countries to provide sustained financial help to the refugee-hosting developing countries.
She said Pakistan is hosting over 3.5 million Afghan refugees and the international community needs to provide adequate, regular and sustainable financial support to it in line with the principle of responsibility sharing.
Saima Saleem said Pakistan is committed to the principle of voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees, but that must be backed by time-bound return and repatriation plans.
