By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to refugees and called on the international community to share responsibility for supporting host countries and facilitating the dignified return and reintegration of displaced populations.
In his message on World Refugee Day, observed under the theme “Until Everyone is Safe,” the prime minister said Pakistan joined the global community in expressing solidarity with refugees worldwide and paying tribute to their resilience, courage and determination in the face of displacement.
He said the theme serves as a reminder that safety is a fundamental human right and that protecting and rehabilitating people forced to flee their homes due to conflict, insecurity and other crises is a collective responsibility of the international community.
Shehbaz Sharif noted that while World Refugee Day is observed globally to promote compassion and awareness about the plight of refugees, for Pakistan it represents a humanitarian commitment that has been demonstrated in practice for nearly five decades.
Referring to the influx of Afghan refugees following the events of 1979, the prime minister said Pakistan opened its borders and extended support to millions of Afghans despite its limited resources, providing shelter, care and opportunities for successive generations.
He said Pakistan established refugee settlements and camps and remained among the world’s largest refugee-hosting countries for more than four decades. Afghan families residing in Pakistan were provided access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities and other essential services while living with dignity and respect.
The prime minister highlighted that Pakistan had effectively managed the welfare and movement of millions of Afghan nationals over the years and noted that since September 2023, the country has been implementing a phased, orderly and dignified repatriation programme.
According to him, more than 2.4 million Afghan nationals had returned to their homeland by June 2026. He said these figures represented not merely statistics but the experiences of millions of people who found safety, shelter and support in Pakistan during difficult periods of their lives.
Shehbaz Sharif acknowledged that hosting millions of refugees had also placed significant economic, social, environmental and security burdens on Pakistan. He stressed that the sacrifices and contributions of host countries must be recognized and supported by the international community.
The prime minister said hosting refugees and facilitating their return is a shared global responsibility and emphasized that a peaceful, stable and economically resilient Afghanistan is essential for the sustainable reintegration of returning Afghan nationals.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other international partners to advance this objective.
Paying tribute to the people of Pakistan, the prime minister praised their generosity, compassion and spirit of solidarity, saying they had consistently shared their resources, educational institutions and healthcare facilities with refugees despite facing their own challenges.
He said Pakistan’s humane treatment of refugees stands as an example to the world and described the hospitality shown by the Pakistani people as a proud chapter in the country’s history.
Concluding his message, Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community to renew its commitment to ensuring that displaced and stateless persons are given hope, peace and the opportunity to return home safely and with dignity, rather than being condemned to permanent exile.
