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Pakistan

Field Reports  In-Depth Reports  Letters & Testimonies

Overview
In addition to being host to approximately two million Afghan refugees, more than a million Pakistanis remain displaced within their own borders due to militant offensives in the northwest region. The Afghan refugees, though largely integrated, are particularly vulnerable and need long-term assistance. The Pakistani displaced are difficult to access by aid agencies and require protection. To increase regional stability, the United States and other donor nations must allocate their resources so Afghan refugees are better integrated and civilian populations are protected.


Current Humanitarian Situation
More then 2.5 million Pakistanis fled their homes in 2009, in what was the largest movement of people in Pakistan since partition from India sixty years ago. While the majority has now returned home, more then a million remain displaced. Aid agencies are struggling to respond to the crisis given the difficulties accessing some of the displaced, the constraints imposed by the government of Pakistan and the immediate needs. The UN consolidated appeal for 2010 should be more then $700 million, and as military offensives continue the number of displaced is likely to grow. It is of moral and strategic interest for the United States to focus on aiding the civilian populations during this conflict.

Mass returns of refugees to Afghanistan are an unlikely prospect. Most of the early returnees in 2002 onwards were families who owned land or had social networks in Afghanistan, while the others had deeper roots in Pakistan and little to return to. The Pakistani government extended registration cards for Afghan refugees until 2012. The U.S. and other donors must increase funding for projects targeted at the refugee population, most notably the UN's Refugee Affected Host Area (RAHA) program.

Action Needed

  • The US and other donor countries should focus their efforts on protecting civilian populations and providing substantial immediate assistance to the displaced.
  • The UN humanitarian agencies and NGOs should engage with all factions to secure access to vulnerable populations in Pakistan.
  • The U.S. should contribute to Refugee Affected Host Areas programs and humanitarian appeals in Pakistan.
Field Reports
  • Pakistan: Protect People First
    10/26/2009
    Pakistan is facing a complex humanitarian crisis. Recent military offensives against militant groups have displaced several million civilians and left thousands dead. While many have returned home, the new offensive in South Waziristan is currently displacing hundreds of thousands more. The UN’s activities are limited by both the insecure environment and restrictions by the government of Pakistan, but it must do a better job at adopting a principled approach to humanitarian assistance. As for the U.S., if it wants to help stabilize Pakistan, it needs to insist that the government prioritize the protection of civilians.
  • Pakistan: Invisible People, Visible Consequences
    06/24/2009
    Pakistan is witnessing the largest population movement since its independence in 1947. Needs are enormous, as millions of people have fled without anything and sought shelter in camps or with relatives. Yet, the implications of this humanitarian crisis and growing instability have not been adequately recognized
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In Depth Reports
  • Afghanistan: Invest in People
    07/10/2008
    Millions of Afghans need help rebuilding their lives and country. The U.S. and other donor nations must allocate resources to tackle problems that are specific to vulnerable Afghans.  The humanitarian situation is worsening in Afghanistan.
Advocacy Letters
Successes

The UN followed our recommendations to improve the staffing and coordination of aid delivery and established a presence for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the aftermath of the rising numbers of displaced Pakistanis in 2009. The UN also appointed a Special Envoy to coordinate aid programs by the Pakistani government and aid agencies. Both actions helped ensure that aid programs reach the most vulnerable people.