Minister for SAFRON & Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi has urged the Afghan refugee students to work together with their Pakistani colleagues and work as Ambassadors of Pakistan, Afghan friendship and foil nefarious propaganda to divide the two brotherly states.
Addressing a huge gathering of Afghan students studying on Pakistani scholarships at Comsats University Abbottabad Campus on Wednesday, Shehryar Afridi said that Pakistan had set a new precedent in human history to not only host four million Afghan refugees but also had shared all its resources with them over the past 40 years.
“There is no match to this sacrifice of the government and peoples of Pakistan who have shared all their resources with the Afghan refugees in line with the spirit of State of Madinah. We hosted and educated four million Afghans and transformed them into productive citizens. Most of those refugees are now transformed Afghan citizens and are serving at top government offices in Afghanistan today,” he said.
The Minister said that while the western states are afraid of refugee crisis and they have closed their doors on migrants and hate crimes against migrants are being launched in across the western states, Pakistan has not only generously hosted four million Afghans but we have also integrated them into our society.
“Today, Afghans are leading businessmen, entrepreneurs and also work in various fields without fear and discrimination. They are leaders in cross sections of our society and live in Pakistan as normal Pakistanis. We are giving them scholarships, we are giving them equal rights. What country in the world has ever done so,” argued the minister.
He said that the wealthy and developed western world blocks its doors even if a single migrant boat arrives but Pakistan with its meager resources has never closed its borders on refugees.
“WE don’t only have Afghan refugees. We have refugees Bengal, Behar, Rohingyas, Iranians and so many other nations. We want the world to recognize our sacrifices,” he said.
The minister said that the Afghan students must recognize the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan and despite enemy’s propaganda and conspiracies, it did not closed its doors on Afghans.
“We have suffered thousands of attacks by criminals and terrorists coming from Afghanistan but we never closed our doors on Afghans. We discouraged discrimination against Afghans despite provocations. You all need to send our message of brotherhood and unity to Afghanistan where people are being misled by a minority,” he concluded.
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