Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan is trying its level best for the success of Afghan peace process so that the Afghan refugees could return to their homeland with dignity.

Addressing the First Global Refugee Forum in Geneva on Tuesday, he stressed that there is only political settlement of the conflict so that the people of Afghanistan who have been suffering from over forty years of conflict finally can enjoy the dividends of peace.

The Prime Minister said the people of Pakistan hosted four million Afghan refugees with generosity for about four decades and there are still three million refugees in the country including 1.4 million registered ones.

Imran Khan also paid tributes to Turkey for hosting the largest refugee population.

Alluding to the situation in occupied Kashmir as well as neighboring India, the Prime Minister warned the world community of one of the biggest impending refugee crisis is about to take place due to the steps taken by Modi government.

Referring to the revocation of special status of occupied Kashmir by India on 5th of August, the Prime Minister said eight million Kashmiris have been confined to their homes. He said the world must realize that the main aim of the Indian government is to change the demographic composition of the territory from a Muslim majority to a Muslim minority. He said this could lead to a refugee crisis and the world community must take notice of the situation and put pressure on India to stop this illegal activity of settling in the Hindu population in the held valley.

The Prime Minister cautioned the world that the situation in occupied Kashmir could also lead to a conflict between two nuclear armed countries.

Imran Khan said the UN Secretary General must also understand the complications of the steps taken by India in Assam to deprive the Muslim population of Indian nationality as well as the recently passed citizenship act. He said this could have unprecedented consequences and impact on the refugee population. He said the world must step in to control the situation as Pakistan is bound to suffer because of these Indian steps. He said Pakistan is already hosting millions of Afghan refugees and it will not be able to accommodate more refugees.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has hailed the generosity demonstrated by different countries including Pakistan and Turkey for hosting millions of refugees.

He was addressing the First Global Refugee Forum in Geneva on Tuesday.

The UN Secretary General said the international community must do more and shoulder the responsibility to address the refugee crisis. He stressed that we cannot abandon the refugees and their protection is imperative. He said there is need to mobilize international cooperation and solidarity to build the resilience of refugees in their host countries.

Addressing the Global Refugee Forum, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi called for a smart and comprehensive plan to address the refugee crisis. For this, he said, we need a broad alliance of governments, aid communities, businesses, civil society and academia.

The High Commissioner expressed the confidence that the global forum will come up with a vast array of initiatives and pledges to truly express solidarity with the refugees.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is attending the moot as a co-convener. In his speech, he will also articulate Pakistan’s perspective, experience and contribution to the Afghan refugees.