Zibago
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'Go back to nonexistent homes' – An immoral decree on Afghan refugees
For more sustainable solution the expulsion should be reconsidered. Let the refugees decide if they want to go back to their country on their own will
September 06, 2016, 8:30 am/ 3 Comments
After a superficial appraisal, the government has passed the verdict for Afghan refugees to decamp Pakistan by the end of the year. This communiqué could not stir the mainstream media, bureaucracy or politicians in their benevolence, since these feeble refugees have not much to offer. The ones who are eulogizing the government’s dictum lack adequate knowledge on a subject that has a lot to do with the country’s policies. The holy grail of this mighty decision is also not yet lucid whether these refugees are security menace, a social problem or economic burden on Pakistan.
Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country having people of Pashtuns, Tadjik, Turkman, Baluch, Uzbek, and Hazara ethnicities. Because of Soviet occupation, most of these ethnolinguistic groups were displaced to the countries where they had relevance. Turkey is one fine example that accepted most of Kirghiz people and accorded them refugee status in their homeland. One of these major ethnic groups was Pashtuns who originated from southeastern provinces of Afghanistan and preferred to join KP because of the fact that they had distant kinfolk in this province as well as the same language. Upon their arrival, Pakistan government asked for international liaison to relocate these refugees. It is believed that huge capital was collected from western countries who thought this as a real predicament to the host state. So the rhetoric that lodging of Afghan refugees negatively impacted Pakistan’s economy is not true. These refugees are earning their livelihood by doing the oddest and most arduous jobs including farming, construction and transportation. They were never dependent on any charity or social help from government even in their adverse times. Some have established themselves in business arena up to maximum. In fact, they contributed to country’s economy in a notable way.
The next assertion these refugees come under is their involvement in organized crime. All of a sudden the government declared them as fountainhead of insecurity in the country. These claims have no such evidences to date to prove the whole community of refugees as threat to state security. Unfortunate attacks on the Army Public School and Bacha Khan University are forcibly associated with refugees, but the reality is contrary to these allegations. Their peaceful coexistence with locals for more than four decades proves government’s measure of forcing them to leave on basis on security issues, completely witless. It can be said that they are socially compatible with KP and Baluchistan societies. The voices for their exclusion are coming from far ends of the country that have less to do with these refugees. By any chance if some refugees are proved to be involved in any criminal activity, it should be taken as an individual’s act. It's a state debacle if it is unable to distinguish the ones who are national security catastrophe.
Pakistan’s geographical position makes it too important to the world but it boomerangs at times. Exclusion of Afghan refugees has also a lot to do with its foreign policy with neighboring countries. Pakistan doesn’t have ideal diplomatic relationships with both India and Iran. Federal government of Pakistan always speaks of affectionate relationships with Afghanistan, but steps like forced decamping of Afghan refugees depicts a different approach. It is unfavorable for a country like Afghanistan, which already is going through turmoil to accept millions of refugees back. They have insurgencies in area the refugees are supposed to go back with no schools, homes, electricity, hospitals, etc. Seeing this situation, Afghanistan will surely extend its loyalties to alternatives that might turn out to be extremely detrimental for Pakistan.
As a state Pakistan must not forget humanitarian obligations that international law puts on every country. The Foreign Office should work watchfully with the Home Office to take care of the objective grounds and long-term results of this decree. To reach undocumented refugees and provide them documents should be the priority of the government at this stage. For more sustainable solution, rather than prosecuting refugees with deadlines, the expulsion should be reconsidered. Let the refugees decide if they want to go back to their country on their own will. The ill-treatment and unethical step taken by Pakistan as a state toward refugees will not portray a good image on any global forum. Any suffering caused to these peacefully living refugees will be considered a failure of the state
http://nation.com.pk/blogs/06-Sep-2...nt-homes-an-immoral-decree-on-afghan-refugees
The only group that is to be blamed for our tough stance are the pro India hawks in Kabul
And this is just a start of our new Afghan policy
@django @The Sandman @Moonlight @User @DESERT FIGHTER
For more sustainable solution the expulsion should be reconsidered. Let the refugees decide if they want to go back to their country on their own will
September 06, 2016, 8:30 am/ 3 Comments
After a superficial appraisal, the government has passed the verdict for Afghan refugees to decamp Pakistan by the end of the year. This communiqué could not stir the mainstream media, bureaucracy or politicians in their benevolence, since these feeble refugees have not much to offer. The ones who are eulogizing the government’s dictum lack adequate knowledge on a subject that has a lot to do with the country’s policies. The holy grail of this mighty decision is also not yet lucid whether these refugees are security menace, a social problem or economic burden on Pakistan.
Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic country having people of Pashtuns, Tadjik, Turkman, Baluch, Uzbek, and Hazara ethnicities. Because of Soviet occupation, most of these ethnolinguistic groups were displaced to the countries where they had relevance. Turkey is one fine example that accepted most of Kirghiz people and accorded them refugee status in their homeland. One of these major ethnic groups was Pashtuns who originated from southeastern provinces of Afghanistan and preferred to join KP because of the fact that they had distant kinfolk in this province as well as the same language. Upon their arrival, Pakistan government asked for international liaison to relocate these refugees. It is believed that huge capital was collected from western countries who thought this as a real predicament to the host state. So the rhetoric that lodging of Afghan refugees negatively impacted Pakistan’s economy is not true. These refugees are earning their livelihood by doing the oddest and most arduous jobs including farming, construction and transportation. They were never dependent on any charity or social help from government even in their adverse times. Some have established themselves in business arena up to maximum. In fact, they contributed to country’s economy in a notable way.
The next assertion these refugees come under is their involvement in organized crime. All of a sudden the government declared them as fountainhead of insecurity in the country. These claims have no such evidences to date to prove the whole community of refugees as threat to state security. Unfortunate attacks on the Army Public School and Bacha Khan University are forcibly associated with refugees, but the reality is contrary to these allegations. Their peaceful coexistence with locals for more than four decades proves government’s measure of forcing them to leave on basis on security issues, completely witless. It can be said that they are socially compatible with KP and Baluchistan societies. The voices for their exclusion are coming from far ends of the country that have less to do with these refugees. By any chance if some refugees are proved to be involved in any criminal activity, it should be taken as an individual’s act. It's a state debacle if it is unable to distinguish the ones who are national security catastrophe.
Pakistan’s geographical position makes it too important to the world but it boomerangs at times. Exclusion of Afghan refugees has also a lot to do with its foreign policy with neighboring countries. Pakistan doesn’t have ideal diplomatic relationships with both India and Iran. Federal government of Pakistan always speaks of affectionate relationships with Afghanistan, but steps like forced decamping of Afghan refugees depicts a different approach. It is unfavorable for a country like Afghanistan, which already is going through turmoil to accept millions of refugees back. They have insurgencies in area the refugees are supposed to go back with no schools, homes, electricity, hospitals, etc. Seeing this situation, Afghanistan will surely extend its loyalties to alternatives that might turn out to be extremely detrimental for Pakistan.
As a state Pakistan must not forget humanitarian obligations that international law puts on every country. The Foreign Office should work watchfully with the Home Office to take care of the objective grounds and long-term results of this decree. To reach undocumented refugees and provide them documents should be the priority of the government at this stage. For more sustainable solution, rather than prosecuting refugees with deadlines, the expulsion should be reconsidered. Let the refugees decide if they want to go back to their country on their own will. The ill-treatment and unethical step taken by Pakistan as a state toward refugees will not portray a good image on any global forum. Any suffering caused to these peacefully living refugees will be considered a failure of the state
http://nation.com.pk/blogs/06-Sep-2...nt-homes-an-immoral-decree-on-afghan-refugees
The only group that is to be blamed for our tough stance are the pro India hawks in Kabul
And this is just a start of our new Afghan policy
@django @The Sandman @Moonlight @User @DESERT FIGHTER
