Burdened economy: ‘Pakistan has spent $200b on Afghan refugees’

[Cyberian]

200billion $ that is a huge amount

$200 billion over a period of 30-years. That comes to $6.67 billion a year.

 

[Cyberian]

Is it a joke? Too much zeros are in the figure. Pakistan's annual budget is less than $40 billion.

$200 billion over a period of 30-years. That comes to $6.67 billion a year.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

You shouldn't have opened your mouth too big when millions and 10 times greater shit of your own lives under poverty line and you spend $200bln on refugees? WTF

OH RICH AFGHANISTAN TAKE YOUR RICH CITIZENS LIVING IN BIG MUD BANGLOWS IN PAKISTAN... SO WE POOR PAKISTANIS CAN LIVE OUR POOR LIVES IN PEACE.. WHY STAY IN PAKISTAN WHEN THEY CAN LIVE LIKE BILL GATES IN RICH AND POWERFUL AFGHANISTAN.. A COUNTRY WHOSE INFRA AND DEVELOPMENT PUTS DUBAI,USA N THEIR LIKES TO SHAME..

 

[GURU DUTT]

Burdened economy: ‘Pakistan has spent $200b on Afghan refugees’
By Our Correspondent
Published: October 26, 2013
PESHAWAR:
Pakistan cannot afford to host Afghan refugees any longer and has spent more than $200 billion in the last 30 years on them, said Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch.

Baloch said international humanitarian organisations should assist in providing protection and ensure the timely and safe return of refugees to their home country.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Friday, he said initially Pakistan was hosting five million refugees and even today there are more than three million registered and unregistered refugees in the country, most of whom are living in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The minister further mentioned the government’s two-year extension to refugees on the request of UNHCR, the United Nation’s Refugee Agency.

Baloch said the government will continue to provide protection to Afghans in Pakistan, but “the government of Afghanistan must improve the conditions of its country so refugees can start repatriating. They can only return if there is durable peace in Afghanistan,” Baloch said.

He also directed law enforcement agencies to not arrest or harass Afghans as long as they possess their old registration cards, since the new cards may take two months to be issued. Baloch said he would order action against any police official found harassing refugees without a reason.

“Refugees often get involved in different types of crime as they are legally not allowed to work in Pakistan. This also worsens law and order problems for the country.” he said.

Baloch said the Refugees Affected and Hosting Areas programme has been initiated by the government. “Donors have pledged $600 million for the project, but so far only $15 million has been given.”

The minister said various development projects, including the supply of clean drinking water, construction of educational institutions, hospitals and parks, would also be initiated in areas where refugees have lived and are still living.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2013.

so does that means Pkaistan will now ask USA/NATO and afghanistan for 200 Billion dollars + almost the same amount for remmittence for its help on war against USSR & WOT ..... good stretegy to genrate money

 

[Roybot]

$200 billion over a period of 30-years. That comes to $6.67 billion a year.

Pakistan should offer the Afghans the choice of Pakistani citizenship.

So Pakistan spends more on Afghan refugees than it does on its military budget?

 

[Cyberian]

So Pakistan spends more on Afghan refugees than it does on its military budget?

Obviously. Its a mighty task looking after 3-5 million people who don't have a land, money or work.

 

[Roybot]

Obviously. Its a mighty task looking after 3-5 million people who don't have a land, money or work.

Haha seriously? So Pakistan spends more money on the well being of 3-5 million Afghan refugees, than it does on 190 Million Pakistanis?

Don't try to justify everything that your leaders say.

 

[Cyberian]

Haha seriously? So Pakistan spends more money on the well being of 3-5 million Afghan refugees, than it does on 190 Million Pakistanis?

Don't try to justify everything that your leaders say.

If we didn't look after the Afghan refugees, there'll be tens of thousands of dead bodies lying all over the refugee camps.

Just look at your own history. Back in 1971, your government used the excuse that millions of Bangladeshi refugees had become a burden on India. The burden was apparently so heavy that India launched a full scale war to get rid of them. Point being, looking after refugees is a very, very expensive business.

Pakistan has spent $200 billion in the last 30-years (average $6.67 billion a year), but that doesn't automatically mean all that money came from the Pakistani tax payers.

 

[Sher Malang]

OH RICH AFGHANISTAN TAKE YOUR RICH CITIZENS LIVING IN BIG MUD BANGLOWS IN PAKISTAN... SO WE POOR PAKISTANIS CAN LIVE OUR POOR LIVES IN PEACE.. WHY STAY IN PAKISTAN WHEN THEY CAN LIVE LIKE BILL GATES IN RICH AND POWERFUL AFGHANISTAN.. A COUNTRY WHOSE INFRA AND DEVELOPMENT PUTS DUBAI,USA N THEIR LIKES TO SHAME..

That's because Pakistanis are spending $200 bln on them more than US and allies; Lol

 

[Srinivas]

Pakistanis might have calculated the interest on the amount they have spent on these unfortunate refuges .

200 Billion accounts for 7 Billion $ a year for 30 years. But those refugees are still living in tents and bad conditions . & Billion can do wonders for a small province .

Pakistan has some strategic interests in allowing these refugees, where there are strategic interests one must pay to get them.

Anyway I wish a peaceful and stable Afghanistan so that these unfortunate guys can live in peace in their home lands

 

[farhan_9909]

the figure might not be 200billion dollars.

Though after having the afghan refugees for more like 3 decades.and almost atleast 50% or even more has already got the citizenship by many means.
(My afghan friend is now in Khyber medical college peshawar,he was my classmate in Fsc and is having lakki marwat domicile and pakistani citizenship)

i think its time to give citizenship to those less than 2million known legal afghan refugees.

Ofcourse them returning home is impossible.and who ever think they would go back to Afghanistan after the coalition forces withdrawal.they are blinded.Even if peace happens in afghanistan they still wont Go.

 

[farhan_9909]

If we didn't look after the Afghan refugees, there'll be tens of thousands of dead bodies lying all over the refugee camps.

Just look at your own history. Back in 1971, your government used the excuse that millions of Bangladeshi refugees had become a burden on India. The burden was apparently so heavy that India launched a full scale war to get rid of them. Point being, looking after refugees is a very, very expensive business.

Pakistan has spent $200 billion in the last 30-years (average $6.67 billion a year), but that doesn't automatically mean all that money came from the Pakistani tax payers.

Brother we must accept it.200billion is certainly impossible because 200billion dollars isnt the whole budget of kpk for the past 3 decades where majority of them afghan refugees are

 

[Cyberian]

Brother we must accept it.200billion is certainly impossible because 200billion dollars isnt the whole budget of kpk for the past 3 decades where majority of them afghan refugees are

Brother, the minister did not clarify how he came up with the $200 billion figure, unless if he was talking about Rs. 200 billion.

It would be good if he could provide a breakdown of the expenditure, but I strongly believe to keep 3-5 million unemployed people alive for 30 years is very very expensive.

If Pakistan spends $1 a day on each refugee, that would come to $365 a year. If you then times that by 30-years, you get the figure of $10,950 per refugee.

$10,950 x 3,000,000 refugees = $32,850,000,000
$10,950 x 5,000,000 refugees = $54,750,000,000

The above are just the bear minimum costs.

And yes, I agree with your earlier post that the Afghan refugees should be given the choice of Pakistani citizenship. It is our duty as Muslims to help them and they are part of the Muslim Ummah.

 

[cloud_9]

Does the Pakistani government give hand out to the refugees Or do they provide housing

 

[INDIC]

200 billion LOL Pakistani leaders seems to be weak in mathematics.