January 10, 2017: CODE PAKISTAN held the first round of National Consultations on Afghan Refugees in Islamabad today. The two-round consultation process is being organized by CODE PAKISTAN with the aim of responding to the need for a comprehensive national legislation and policy formulation on Afghan refugees by sensitizing the Government of Pakistan on evolving a comprehensive policy on voluntary repatriation and management of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The two-round consultative process is part our ongoing National Consultations on Afghan Refugees: From Ideas to Implementation in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Ministry of SAFRON, Government of Pakistan, and UNHCR. Representative UNHCR Mr. Indrika Ratwatte attended the event and welcomed the guests on behalf of UNHCR. In his welcome remarks, Mr. Ratwatte highlighted the rise in the refugee situations around the world and an urgent need for responding to the challenge. He also underscored the importance of effectively responding to the Afghan refugee situation in Pakistan, calling it one of the most protracted refugee situations in the world. Today’s event was the first of a series of two stakeholder consultations on the subject. The second round of consultations in planned to take place very soon. CODE PAKISTAN is aiming to produce a comprehensive report based on the proceedings of the two rounds of consultations containing policy recommendations for the Government of Pakistan. Today’s consultations comprised of six simultaneous sessions on the following six themes:
- Existing Legal Mechanisms to Manage Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: The Application of National and International Legal Instruments;
- Institutional Mechanisms for the Management of Refugees in Pakistan: Past and Future;
- The Emerging International Climate on Refugee Management: How should Pakistan Respond;
- Tapping into the Economic Growth Potential of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan;
- Political response to Afghan Refugees in Pakistan;
- Islam and Muhajireen: Viewing Pakistan\’s Afghan Refugee Phenomenon from the Lens of Islamic Discourses on Hijrah.
Today’s consultations featured a general discussion around the six themes. CODE PAKISTAN is in the process of drafting a report on today’s deliberations. The report will be shared with the participants of the first round before the second round. On the basis of the draft report of the first round of consultations, CODE PAKISTAN is aiming to derive practical recommendations around each theme of the consultative sessions. We hope to conclude the two rounds of consultations with a comprehensive report including policy recommendations on the matter of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which will be shared with key government officials through the Ministry of SAFRON. Today’s event was widely attended by relevant officials of the Government of Pakistan, development professionals, academics, religious scholars, and representatives of think tanks. Some of the participants of the first round of consultations on Afghan refugees were as follows: Representative UNHCR Mr. Indrika Ratwatte, Head of Delegation ICRC Mr. Reto Stocker, Head of IOM in Pakistan Mr. Davide Terzi, Founder CODE PAKISTAN Mr. Dilawar Khan, Mr. Tariq Hayat from Ministry of SAFRON, Dean LUMS School of Law Dr. Martin Lau, former Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan Amb. Arif Ayub, Refugee Coordinator U.S. Embassy Islamabad Mr. Patrick Wingate, Special Assistant at the Office of Coordinator for Economic and Development Assistance at the U.S. Embassy Mr. Gary Chow, Commissioner Afghan Refugees Sindh Mr. Agha Ghazanfar, Commissioner Afghan Refugees Balochistan Brig. Masood Khan (Retd.), Country Director Gallup Pakistan Mr. Bilal Gilani, Interim Country Director Norwegian Refugee Council Mr. Adil Ahmed, Professor Faculty of Sahriah and Law International Islamic University Dr. Muhammad Munir, Executive Director SHARP Mr. Liaqat Binori, Legal Advisor Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ahmad Nazir Warraich, expert on Afghan refugee issues Mr. Wahid Gul, Reporter of Geo News Mr. Aizaz Syed, Membership and Partnership Coordinator at Pakistan Humanitarian Forum Ms. Rabia Sabri, Mr. Shahid Ilyas from Institute of Regional Studies, Mr. Gul Najam Jamy from the World Bank, journalist Mr. Zahid Hussain, Station Head BOL TV Quetta Mr. Shahzada Zulfiqar, journalist Mr. Rahimullah Yousafzai, spokesman of Wafaqul Madaris al-Arabia Maulana Abdul Qudoos, former senator Maulana Rahat Hussain, Gen. Saad Khattak (Retd.), and Brig. Muhammad Saad (Retd.). For Pictures of the event, please visit our Facebook Page. CODE PAKISTAN is thankful to all the distinguished participants of today’s consultations and looks forward to having them for the second round of consultations. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the office of the Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Ministry of SAFRON, Government of Pakistan.