ISLAMABAD, July 12 (EW):The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) — a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities — has completed the disbursement of cash assistance to over 1 million registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
These people were impacted by the prolonged difficult economic situation in the aftermath of the devastating floods last year.
Launched in January 2023 in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan, the cash assistance programme officially concluded at the end of June. UNHCR’s one-off cash grant of up to PKR 25,000 or approximately USD100, depending on family size, supported a total of 250,000 Afghan refugee households in Pakistan.
Noriko Yoshida, UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan, emphasized the urgent need to extend assistance to refugees in light of the country’s current economic challenges, compounded by the hardships endured during the previous year’s floods. She stated, “It was crucial to provide cash assistance to refugees, aligning with the support offered by the Pakistani government to its citizens.”
With Pakistan hosting over 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees and an additional 427,000 individuals in refugee-like situations from Afghanistan as of the end of 2022, financial aid has proven instrumental in helping the most vulnerable households cope with the economic downturn, allowing them to meet their basic needs.
Yoshida reaffirmed UNHCR’s steadfast commitment to continued support for refugees and their hosts, expressing gratitude to the international community for enabling their assistance. She also commended government of Pakistan, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) – the financial service provider, and other national implementing partners such as INSPIRE Pakistan and SHARP for their valuable support in executing the programme.
The collaboration between UNHCR and Pakistan’s banking system marks the agency’s inaugural private sector engagement in the country. This partnership serves as a remarkable example of the government and private sector’s dedication to innovative approaches to supporting vulnerable Afghan populations.
UNHCR remains actively engaged in assisting Pakistan’s recovery from the devastating floods, with a particular focus on areas hosting refugees. Among the 800,000 refugees residing in flood-affected regions, UNHCR continues to provide critical aid and support to facilitate their reintegration into society.
