ISLAMABAD: The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has provided emergency cash assistance to over 50,000 vulnerable Afghan refugee families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, the UNHCR said on Tuesday.
The UNHCR emergency cash program follows the government of Pakistan’s Ehsaas program under which vulnerable Pakistani families receive a one-off cash grant of Rs.12,000 (approximately $77) to shore them against the coronavirus related economic downturn.
The UN agency aims to reach 70,000 of the most vulnerable refugee families.
On Tuesday, UNHCR’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Indrika Ratwatte – who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan – participated in the distribution of cash assistance to refugees at a Post Office in Islamabad.
“He also interacted with Afghan refugee elders. The UNHCR Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Noriko Yoshida, and senior officials from the Post Office were also present on the occasion,” UNHCR said in a statement.
Ratwatte appreciated the achievement of the goal of reaching 50,000 families: “I hope that efforts will continue to be made to reach the remaining vulnerable families affected by the pandemic,” he said.
Pakistan hosts over 1.4 million Afghan refugees, and during the pandemic “thousands of refugees, including daily wage earners, were left without a source of income,” the UN agency said.
Ratwatte said the assistance would help those hardest hit by the economic downturn. “Emergency cash assistance enables refugees to meet their most urgent needs.”
UNHCR’s assistance program is being carried out in close collaboration with the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions and Pakistan Post, which disburses the payments.
Over 50,000 Afghan refugee families hit by COVID-19 get UNHCR emergency cash
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Over 50,000 Afghan refugee families hit by COVID-19 get UNHCR emergency cash
- UN agency coronavirus aid aims to reach 70,000 of the most vulnerable refugee families
- The UNHCR emergency cash program follows the government of Pakistan’s Ehsaas program
Curfew extended in Gilgit-Baltistan, probe ordered after deadly Khamenei protests
- At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Government also announces a de-weaponization campaign, crackdown on hate speech and cybercrime in region
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region on Tuesday extended a curfew in Gilgit district and ordered a judicial probe into violent protests over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last week, an official said.
At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in GB, where protesters torched and vandalized several buildings, including United Nations regional offices, an army-run school, software technology park and a local charity building.
The violence prompted regional authorities to impose curfew in Gilgit and Skardu districts on March 2-4 as officials urged people to stay indoors and cooperate with law enforcers, amid widespread anger in Pakistan, particularly among members of the Shiite minority, over Khamenei’s killing.
On Tuesday, the GB government convened to review the situation and announced the extension of curfew in Gilgit among a number of security measures as well as ordered the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the weekend violence in the region.
“The government has made it clear that the law will strictly take its course against elements involved in vandalism at government institutions, private properties and incidents of vandalism in Gilgit and Skardu and no kind of mischief will be tolerated,” Shabbir Mir, a GB government spokesperson, said in a statement.
“In view of the security situation, curfew will remain in force in Gilgit, while the decision to extend the curfew in Skardu will be taken keeping the ground realities and the changing situation in view.”
The statement did not specify how long the curfew will remain in place in Gilgit.
Besides the formation of the judicial commission to investigate the violent clashes, the government also decided to launch a large-scale de-weaponization campaign in the entire Gilgit district, for which relevant institutions have been directed to immediately complete all necessary arrangements, according to Mir.
In addition, a crackdown has been ordered on hate speech, spread of fake news and cybercrime.
“The aim of these decisions is to ensure the rule of law, protect the lives and property of citizens and crack down on miscreants,” he said. “Approval has also been given to immediately survey the affected infrastructure and start their restoration work on priority basis.”
Demonstrators in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi also stormed the US Consulate on Sunday, smashing windows and attempting to burn the building. Police responded with batons, tear gas, and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.
Pakistani authorities have since beefed up security at US diplomatic missions across the country, including around the US consulate building in Peshawar, to avoid any further violence.
