In Pakistan there are more than 1.6 million Afghan refugees, who had fled to Pakistan after the war situation in Afghanistan. Now, Pakistan is going to solve this issue of the repatriation of these Afghan refugees. Currently, there are a lot of debates and the government of Pakistan is going to take serious measures to handle Afghan refugee crisis in the country. Eurasia Diary talked with Ms. Nasreen Khattak, one of the leading politician from Pakistan. She is from Qaumi Watan Party and has a social work background.
Nasreen served on leading positions in the World Bank and several other international humanitarian & aid organizations.
Eurasia Diary: First of all, please, let me know what is the current situation about the Afghan refugees and their repatriation in Pakistan? Being a member of World Bank on refugee project, how do you see this repatriation?
Nasreen Khattak: Thank you very much for asking about this very important issue. Actually Pakistan hosted one of the largest refugee population in the world which was 35 million. At that time being the advisor to the UNHCR for establishing the first social welfare service in the Afghan commissionerate I studied the situation carefully. Pakistan opened its door to the Afghan refugees. Please, keep in mind that, with the limited resources, we gave them all the hospitalities that we could think. Now, the current UN Summit for refugees and migrants has started and we need to focus that although the population is now considerably less, but 2.5 million in a country like Pakistan is still a big number. My party Qaumi Watan Party’s chief has emphasized that the repatriation must be strategized in a dignified manner.
Because refugees are here under an international agreement and we have to see that this process should be undertaken in a way that we sustain the good name Pakistan had earlier earned. I do understand that UN gives a fee for the refugees from 200 to 400 dollars. That is the different thing, but we as a nation have to keep in mind that we have to face this challenge in a befitting manner.
Another important issue is to underline the relationships between the two countries. My party emphasizes that the friendly relationship must be based on trust. The trust deficit is not going to be good for the whole region. More importantly, I would say that the life in camps is not bed of roses and refugees must take with them feelings of human nature.
Eurasia Diary: You have been talking about dignified way of Afghan refugee’s repatriation. What is the plan of Pakistan on this issue, there has been meetings in Islamabad on these refugee’s repatriation?
Nasreen Khattak: Yes, it is right. There is a very high profile meeting of the heads of political parties and the representatives which was focused mainly on this issue. There was one deadline which expired and now there is another deadline given by the government so that there are no loopholes left in the smooth process of repatriation. At the same time, administration is doing their work and there are news coming in that Afghan refugees are selling their goods and other things as a part of the repatriation process.
Eurasia Diary: Please let me know that there is European migrant’s crisis UNHCR failed to influence on the EU but for the countries like Pakistan and Turkey UNHCR has strict regulations, is this not double standard?
Nasreen Khattak: This is a very complicated issue. All of the world is focused on the summit. I would expect at the conclusion of this summit to see the uniformity on the policy of refugees and migrants.
Eurasia Diary: What is your expectation from today’s meeting? What the major steps the government of Pakistan is going to take? Are they going to set the second deadline?
Nasreen Khattak: That is an important question. It is too early for me to comment on it. But my own assessment of this situation is that probably, there would be demarcation in the registered and unregistered refugees but I don’t know about other extension in deadline so far.
Eurasia Diary: How do you see the dispute between the Afghanistan and Pakistan on the borderline? Does it mean to the developments of routine matter?
Nasreen Khattak: I would like to emphasize that it is very important that Pakistan and Afghanistan have good relations. We should notice that there is a lot of cultural similarities between the two nations, in the languages, culture, and social frame work of the countries. I don’t think that it is very difficult if the leaders make a united effort, this cooperation is also effect to the creation of the peace environment between two countries as stated by the Qaumi Watan Party chief.
Eurasia Diary: Please, tell me about your party that how you see the development process and what is going in Pakistan currently in development sector?
Nasreen Khattak: Actually as you do know, Qaumi Watan Party had a substantial win in the last election, we were invited to be part of the government. We were there for few months. Then due to some governance issues we parted ways. Qaumi Watan Party stand is basically that we have to work for the social economic development of Khyber Pakthoonkhaw (KP). So when government re-invited us to join the government, we looked into it as a chance to improve governance and to put forward socio economic policies keeping in view our huge experience.
Eurasia Diary: You are belonged to one of the province which has faced worst kind of the terrorism after 9-11? So, there is a stress in internationally and nationally- in everywhere, and how do you the peace process as a social worker and politician, how can we build a peace in our society?
Nasreen Khattak: I would entirely agree with you that although terrorism is all over but Khyber Pakthoonkhaw (KP) has faced worst kind of terrorism that you can imagine. I mean recent three-four incidents that I can count are that of army public school massacre of the little children. Then there were the courts have been targeted and the university. From my side I would see that there has to be clean and clear foreign policy so that we do not become the brunt of terrorism. We have always been the front-line state in taking action for eradication of terrorism and our efforts need to be recognized.
