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- Business Recorder
World Refugee Day: 123m people worldwide forcibly displaced
ISLAMABAD: As of the end of 2024, some 123 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, and violence. This includes 42.7 million refugees and others in need of international protection. This means one in every 67 people on the planet is displaced, said UN Refugee Agency-UNHCR on the occasion of World Refugee Day on Friday.
UNHCR Pakistan stands in solidarity with millions of people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, and violence. This year's theme, 'Solidarity with Refugees,' is a call to action to ensure compassion, support, and inclusion for displaced populations, said the UNHCR Spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi in a statement.
Pakistan continues to demonstrate remarkable generosity and hospitality, currently hosting over 2.35 million Afghan refugees including Proof of Registration (PoR) cardholders and others in need of protection, he added.
While displacement globally continues to rise due to ongoing conflicts across the world, humanitarian funding is stagnating and, in some cases, declining.
Philippa Candler, UNHCR Representative in Pakistan said, 'As we mark World Refugee Day, a moment to honour the courage and strength of refugees across the globe, we also reflect on their stories of loss and pain. Sadly, in many parts of the world, the right to asylum is under threat. Tougher and more restrictive policies are making it harder for people fleeing war, violence and persecution to find safety. In difficult moments like these, we need more than ever to stand in solidarity with refugees.'
Candler appreciated and acknowledged the people of Pakistan and its government for generously hosting Afghan refugees for decades. She said that UNHCR remains committed to working with the Government of Pakistan to find long-term solutions - through return, resettlement, and alternative legal pathways, and to protect those who continue to need asylum.
The UNHCR Representative said that Pakistan is contributing to the global refugee cause at a time when we are witnessing shrinking asylum space worldwide. 'We urge Pakistan to continue its support for displaced people, and call on the international community to match this commitment with solidarity and resources,' she said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
