On World Refugee Day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s enduring commitment to hosting displaced populations, marking the global observance with a call for enhanced protection and support for refugees worldwide. The day’s theme, “Until Everyone Is Safe,” draws attention to the vast scale of forced displacement caused by conflict, persecution, and climate-related disasters, urging coordinated international efforts to tackle the crisis.
PM Sharif highlighted that Pakistan has sheltered millions of Afghans since 1979 despite limited resources, framing this as a humanitarian obligation maintained for over four decades. He acknowledged the significant economic, social, environmental, and security challenges the country has faced as a result.
In a significant development, the prime minister noted that Pakistan’s policy has shifted towards a phased, orderly, and dignified repatriation process, which commenced in September 2023. Official figures indicate that by June 2026, more than 2.4 million Afghan nationals have returned to their homeland.
He stressed that a stable and economically viable Afghanistan is crucial for sustainable solutions, emphasizing that the responsibility for refugee protection, safety, and rehabilitation cannot fall solely on host countries. He urged the international community to share the burden more equitably and provide ongoing support to both refugees and host communities.
Globally, humanitarian organizations, civil society groups, and governments are holding events to raise awareness about refugees’ hardships and advocate for their rights. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reiterated that safety is a fundamental human right, calling on nations to move beyond rhetoric and prioritize long-term solutions such as resettlement and integration.
Meanwhile, the observance occurs amid record-high global displacement figures, increasingly driven by climate change. By the end of 2024, approximately 46 million people were displaced by disasters—nearly twice the annual average of the past decade, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The impact is evident worldwide: Hurricane Milton recently displaced nearly six million people in the United States, floods in Brazil affected an area comparable to the size of the United Kingdom, forcing 775,000 from their homes, and in Chad, flooding displaced more people in one year than in the previous 15 years combined. Alarmingly, 70 percent of refugees and asylum seekers in 2023 originated from countries highly vulnerable to climate change, yet these fragile states receive the least international support.
Major climate funds allocate only about US$2 per person in vulnerable nations, compared to $162 in more stable countries. Experts warn this approach is shortsighted, as every dollar invested in adaptation and resilience yields ten dollars in future benefits.
Where investment has been directed, promising solutions are emerging. Solar-powered water systems are reducing resource conflicts in Yemen, clean energy and land restoration efforts are helping mitigate tensions in Mali, and solar plants in Jordan’s Azraq and Za’atari refugee camps now provide electricity to over 100,000 Syrian refugees.
