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Pakistan suggests world gathering on Afghan refugee issue

Muhammad Abbas Khan said a summit could encourage Western countries to increase their quotas and expedite the resettlement process of Afghan refugees

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Pakistan on Tuesday suggested an international multilateral summit be convened to bring together stakeholders to address challenges related to the voluntary repatriation and third-country resettlement of Afghan refugees.

According to Pakistani media, the idea was floated by Muhammad Abbas Khan, chief commissioner for Afghan refugees (CCAR) at the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), at an Islamabad seminar.

Dawn News reported that Khan suggested the main objective of such a conference should be to encourage Western countries to increase their quotas and expedite the process for admitting Afghan applicants into their countries from Pakistan.

Speaking at a seminar titled “Challenges and Opportunities in Repatriation and Resettlement of Afghan Refugees”, Khan emphasized the importance of international burden-sharing.

He shared that there were around 600,000 Afghan resettlement applicants registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but that the organization’s quota for resettlement applications for the year was only 8,000. 

This, he said, was very unrealistic.

He also stated that the repatriation process of Afghan refugees posed numerous challenges.

According to him, Pakistan has repatriated over four million Afghan refugees since 2002. 

He also said Afghanistan’s capacity to absorb large numbers of refugees was limited. 

Khan said a tripartite meeting with the Afghan government and the UNHCR would be held soon to discuss issues related to refugees.

According to Dawn News, he stated that the repatriation process of illegal Afghans had gone smoothly and successfully and over 600,000 had returned since the process began in November 2023.

The United Nations meanwhile announced earlier this week that 2.2 million Afghan migrants returned from Iran and Pakistan between September 15, 2023 and September 30, 2024.

On Sunday, November 17, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released new data, noting that many of the deported individuals were provided with initial assistance.

The UN agency added that the Iranian government has intensified its deportation of Afghan migrants, resulting in hundreds of individuals crossing the borders into Afghanistan daily.

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G7 envoys urge national dialogue for lasting stability in Afghanistan

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Special Representatives of the Group of Seven (G7), including the European Union, have emphasized the importance of a national dialogue for achieving long-term stability in Afghanistan.

Following a meeting on Afghanistan in Geneva, Switzerland, G7 special envoys issued a joint statement calling for the restoration of women's rights and urging the Islamic Emirate to fight terrorism.

The statement reads: "Achieving sustainable peace and stability requires credible governance that represents all segments of Afghan society."

The representatives also expressed concern over the IEA’s decision to ban girls from attending medical institutes, warning that it will have devastating consequences for the citizens, particularly mothers and their infants.

The statement described this ban as unacceptable and called on the Afghan authorities to lift it immediately.

Earlier, countries and international organizations had called for the removal of restrictions on the education and employment of women and girls, emphasizing the need for a national dialogue.

In response to these concerns, IEA has repeatedly stated that it will not allow interference in the internal affairs of the country.

The G7 special envoys also expressed their concern about the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul and the surrounding region, warning that terrorism remains a serious threat to Afghanistan's security. They confirmed the actions of the IEA against Daesh but stressed the need for more decisive measures.

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Afghanistan’s bright future lies in educating girls: Karzai

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Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, says the demand of Afghan girls for the reopening of schools and universities is their fundamental right and adds that Afghanistan cannot have a bright future without ensuring access to education for girls.

In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Karzai said: "The demand and voice of our country’s girls for education and knowledge is a rightful one and crucial for a prosperous Afghanistan."

He further emphasized, "Empowering the youth—both girls and boys—is the only way to achieve self-reliance, break the cycle of poverty, and drive the development and prosperity of society."

Karzai underscored that education is vital for Afghanistan’s growth and development, expressing hope that the doors of schools and universities for girls will be reopened as soon as possible.

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IEA to set up special courts to address pensions

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Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has issued a decree to establish special courts to address pensions, Bakhtar news agency reported on Saturday.

According to the decree, the courts must confirm and process pensions in accordance with Sharia and law.

Pensioners have repeatedly voiced concern over delay in payment, saying that their financial challenges are growing.

Earlier this year, IEA's supreme leader banned money being deducted from salaries of government employees for pensions.

He also requested information on the tenure of employees and the total amount deducted from salaries for pensions.

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