Pakistan to host two-day world moot on Afghan refugees on Feb 17-18

ISLAMABAD:     Pakistan will organise a two-day International Conference on Afghan refugees in collaboration with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to mark four decades of the Afghan refugees in the country.
The two-day conference, “40 years of Afghan Refugees Presence in Pakistan: A New Partnership for Solidarity”, will be held in Islamabad on February 17-18.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the two-day international conference on Afghan refugees on February 17 which would be attended by ministers and senior officials from different countries.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, ministers and senior officials from around 20 countries, who had been supporting the Afghan refugees across the globe and in Pakistan, would be participating, the foreign office in a press release on Sunday said.
It said, in addition, senior level participation is also expected from the United Nations, multilateral developments banks, civil society and private sector.
“This Conference is taking place at an important juncture when efforts at consolidating peace in Afghanistan are making progress,” it added.
Besides providing an opportunity to highlight the exemplary compassion, generosity and hospitality exhibited by Pakistan, in hosting one of the largest refugee populations in the world, the Conference will further identify key developments and milestones in the 40 years long evolution of the Afghan refugee situation; reflect on the lessons learned; identify the challenges; and discuss solutions for voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of refugees to Afghanistan.