Pakistan’s refugee policy rooted in compassion, shared global responsibility: PM

• Premier Shehbaz reaffirms commitment to dignified return and reintegration of refugees

• Underscores safety as fundamental human right under World Refugee Day theme, recalling Pakistan’s decades-long role as one of largest refugee-hosting nations

• Urges global burden-sharing for host countries facing economic pressures, saying over 2.4m Afghan nationals returned under phased repatriation plan since 2023

• Calls for stable Afghanistan to ensure sustainable reintegration of returnees

 ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to refugees and urged the international community to share greater responsibility in supporting host countries and ensuring the dignified return and reintegration of displaced populations.

In his message on World Refugee Day, observed under the theme “Until Everyone is Safe,” the prime minister said Pakistan stood with the global community in expressing solidarity with refugees worldwide and paying tribute to their resilience, courage and determination in the face of displacement.

Prime Minister Message on World Refugees Day, 20 June, 2026

For nearly five decades, Pakistan has provided refuge, dignity, and support to millions of Afghan refugees, reflecting the compassion and generosity of its people.#WorldRefugeeDay #UntilEveryoneIsSafe #ShehbazSharif pic.twitter.com/G7YzrulT2Y

— APP (@appcsocialmedia) June 20, 2026

He said the theme served as a reminder that safety is a fundamental human right, and that the protection and rehabilitation of people forced to flee their homes due to conflict, insecurity and other crises remains a collective responsibility of the international community.

The prime minister noted that while World Refugee Day is observed globally to promote compassion and awareness about the plight of refugees, for Pakistan it reflects a humanitarian commitment demonstrated in practice for nearly five decades.

Referring to the influx of Afghan refugees after 1979, the prime minister said Pakistan opened its borders and extended support to millions of Afghans despite limited resources, providing shelter, care and opportunities to successive generations.

He said Pakistan established refugee settlements and camps and remained among the world’s largest refugee-hosting countries for over four decades. Afghan families in Pakistan were provided access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities and other essential services while living with dignity and respect.

The prime minister highlighted that Pakistan had managed the welfare and movement of millions of Afghan nationals over the years, and noted that since September 2023 the country had been implementing a phased, orderly and dignified repatriation programme.

According to him, more than 2.4 million Afghan nationals had returned to their homeland by June 2026. He said these figures represented not merely statistics but human lives that had found safety, shelter and support in Pakistan during difficult phases of their lives.

PM Shehbaz acknowledged that hosting millions of refugees had placed significant economic, social, environmental and security burdens on Pakistan. He stressed that the sacrifices and contributions of host countries must be recognized and supported by the international community.

The prime minister said hosting refugees and facilitating their return is a shared global responsibility, adding that a peaceful, stable and economically resilient Afghanistan is essential for the sustainable reintegration of returning Afghan nationals.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other international partners to advance this objective.

Paying tribute to the people of Pakistan, the prime minister praised their generosity, compassion and spirit of solidarity, saying they had consistently shared their resources, educational institutions and healthcare facilities with refugees despite their own challenges.

He said Pakistan’s humane treatment of refugees stands as an example for the world and described the hospitality of the Pakistani people as a proud chapter in the country’s history.

Concluding his message, Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community to renew its commitment to ensuring that displaced and stateless persons are given hope, peace and the opportunity to return home safely and with dignity, rather than being condemned to permanent exile.