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
Türkiye says ready to help restore Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire amid continuing clashes
- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the mediation offer during a phone call to PM Shehbaz Sharif
- They also discussed the ongoing Middle East conflict, called for restraint to prevent further escalation
ISLAMABAD: Türkiye is ready to help restore a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid fierce clashes between the two neighboring states, according to a statement released by the authorities in Ankara on Tuesday after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over telephone.
The call came as Pakistani security officials reported heavy cross-border firing with Afghan forces in the Bazaar Zakhakhel area of Khyber district, highlighting the fragility of relations between the two countries.
Türkiye previously mediated talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan last year after major border skirmishes in October prompted Islamabad to close all crossing points for bilateral and transit trade.
Pakistan has frequently blamed Afghanistan for sheltering anti-Pakistan militant groups such as the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and facilitating their cross-border attacks. Islamabad has said it targeted militant hideouts on the Afghan side of the frontier last month after repeatedly taking up the issue with the administration in Kabul.
The Afghan Taliban, who have always denied Islamabad’s charges, launched what Pakistan called “unprovoked aggression” in support of militant entities.
“Türkiye will continue to stand by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and contribute to the re-establishment of the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan reached through Türkiye’s initiatives,” Erdoğan said during the call, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar earlier released figures related to his country’s military campaign against Afghanistan, saying 464 Taliban fighters had been killed since the beginning of the war and over 665 were injured.
He said Pakistani security forces had destroyed 188 Afghan check posts and captured 31. Additionally, they had targeted 56 locations across Afghanistan in aerial strikes.
According to Prime Minister Sharif’s social media message on X, he also discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East and apprised President Erdoğan of his country’s outreach to the Gulf leadership to reaffirm “Pakistan’s full solidarity with them.”
“We agreed that maximum restraint by all parties is imperative to prevent further escalation,” he added. “We also exchanged views on recent developments in Afghanistan and resolved to remain in close and frequent contact in our shared pursuit of peace and stability in the region.”
