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Pakistan suggests world gathering on Afghan refugee issue
Muhammad Abbas Khan said a summit could encourage Western countries to increase their quotas and expedite the resettlement process of Afghan refugees
Pakistan on Tuesday suggested an international multilateral summit be convened to bring together stakeholders to address challenges related to the voluntary repatriation and third-country resettlement of Afghan refugees.
According to Pakistani media, the idea was floated by Muhammad Abbas Khan, chief commissioner for Afghan refugees (CCAR) at the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), at an Islamabad seminar.
Dawn News reported that Khan suggested the main objective of such a conference should be to encourage Western countries to increase their quotas and expedite the process for admitting Afghan applicants into their countries from Pakistan.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Challenges and Opportunities in Repatriation and Resettlement of Afghan Refugees”, Khan emphasized the importance of international burden-sharing.
He shared that there were around 600,000 Afghan resettlement applicants registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but that the organization’s quota for resettlement applications for the year was only 8,000.
This, he said, was very unrealistic.
He also stated that the repatriation process of Afghan refugees posed numerous challenges.
According to him, Pakistan has repatriated over four million Afghan refugees since 2002.
He also said Afghanistan’s capacity to absorb large numbers of refugees was limited.
Khan said a tripartite meeting with the Afghan government and the UNHCR would be held soon to discuss issues related to refugees.
According to Dawn News, he stated that the repatriation process of illegal Afghans had gone smoothly and successfully and over 600,000 had returned since the process began in November 2023.
The United Nations meanwhile announced earlier this week that 2.2 million Afghan migrants returned from Iran and Pakistan between September 15, 2023 and September 30, 2024.
On Sunday, November 17, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released new data, noting that many of the deported individuals were provided with initial assistance.
The UN agency added that the Iranian government has intensified its deportation of Afghan migrants, resulting in hundreds of individuals crossing the borders into Afghanistan daily.
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Turkey invites IEA’s commerce minister to Antalya Diplomacy Forum
Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Thursday with Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul. During the meeting, Ayyıldız invited the Minister of Industry and Commerce to participate in Turkey’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry, the meeting also emphasized the economic, trade, and historical relations between Kabul and Ankara, as well as the export of Afghan goods to Turkey.
The two sides discussed increasing trade volume between the two countries, strengthening economic relations, facilitating and enhancing commercial activities, cooperation in road transport along various routes, activating the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and regional cooperation.
Azizi, while thanking Turkey for inviting the Islamic Emirate to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, introduced the Ministry’s technical team to ensure better coordination and planning.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is an international conference held annually in Turkey, aimed at examining global challenges and finding joint solutions through dialogue and diplomacy. It hosts representatives from more than 100 countries, including presidents, leaders, high-ranking officials, international organizations, analysts, and media from various countries.
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Afghan, Malaysian PMs discuss situation between Kabul and Islamabad
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate, in a telephone conversation initiated by Mohammad Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, discussed regional developments, particularly the recent situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said in a statement that Hassan Akhund stated during the call that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s principled position is clear and that it believes in resolving issues through mutual understanding and cooperation.
Hassan Akhund added that during Eid al-Fitr, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, the Islamic Emirate demonstrated its goodwill by respecting a pause in defensive operations.
He stated that violence benefits no party and that actions that increase tensions should be avoided, emphasizing that wisdom and rationality must guide efforts to resolve problems.
He also expressed concern over rising regional tensions following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Malaysian Prime Minister also expressed concern about the regional situation and hoped that the temporary halt in hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan would continue, and that existing problems could be resolved through sincere negotiations and understanding.
He added that Malaysia aims to play a positive role in facilitating understanding between both parties.
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Iranian naval commander Alireza Tangsiri killed in airstrike, says Israel
Israel’s defence minister says that an Israeli air strike has killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ navy.
The killing was carried out “last night, in a precise and lethal operation” and targeted other “senior officers of the naval command”, said Israel Katz, in a video statement.
“The man who was directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to shipping was blown up and eliminated,” he claimed.
Since the start of the joint US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, Israel has announced the assassination of several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic ‘s powerful security chief, Ali Larijani.
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said there was no official Iranian confirmation yet of Tangsiri’s killing.
“But if it’s true it’s going to be another major blow for a country that has already experienced a lot of military commanders being killed” since the war began, he said.
The head of the Basij paramilitary forces, Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib were also assassinated in Israeli attacks.
Moreover, in recent days, Israeli forces have carried out several strikes targeting the naval assets of Iran.
Last week, Israeli airstrikes hit several Iranian naval ships in the Caspian Sea, including ones equipped with missile systems, support vessels, and patrol craft.
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