Peshawar: The UN's top official for refugees has urged the world not to 'forget' the millions of Afghans forced to live for decades in Pakistan because of war in their homeland.
Pakistan has the world's second-largest refugee population, 1.5 million, most of them Afghans living for years in poor conditions in camps in the restive northwest.
Islamabad is keen for the refugees to return to Afghanistan, with more than 65,000 going back this year - a big jump on last year's 25,000.
"The attention of the international community has been focused dramatically on the Middle East crisis in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen," Guterres said, noting that Afghans were still the second largest refugee group in the world, after Syrians.
Last week the UN said the number of people forced to flee war, violence and persecution has soared to a record 60 million, half of them children, and the situation was getting out of control.
The number of Afghans crossing the border back to their homeland Afghanistan in the first four months of this year fleeing 'pressure' from Pakistani officials was nine times higher than the same period last year, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Guterres urged Afghanistan's international partners to invest in the country to help build the economy so it could absorb the returnees.
Pakistan has the world's second-largest refugee population, 1.5 million, most of them Afghans living for years in poor conditions in camps in the restive northwest.
Islamabad is keen for the refugees to return to Afghanistan, with more than 65,000 going back this year - a big jump on last year's 25,000.
"The attention of the international community has been focused dramatically on the Middle East crisis in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen," Guterres said, noting that Afghans were still the second largest refugee group in the world, after Syrians.
Advertisement
Last week the UN said the number of people forced to flee war, violence and persecution has soared to a record 60 million, half of them children, and the situation was getting out of control.
Advertisement
The number of Afghans crossing the border back to their homeland Afghanistan in the first four months of this year fleeing 'pressure' from Pakistani officials was nine times higher than the same period last year, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Advertisement
Guterres urged Afghanistan's international partners to invest in the country to help build the economy so it could absorb the returnees.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"Sending A Team...": UN's 1st Fact-Finding Mission To Bangladesh Since 1971 One In Five Children Gets Exposed To Extreme Heat Globally, Says UN Houthi Rebels Take Over Human Rights Offices In Yemen, Says UN Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP This US City Has Been Declared America's Least Desirable, Survey Finds "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Ukraine, Russia Both Claim Advances In Kursk Region Gaza Ceasefire Talks Underway In Qatar As Deaths Top 40,000 Trump To Hold Press Conference, His Campaign Adds Senior Advisers Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.