BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

AFGHAN MIGRATION: THREAT OR OPPORTUNITY FOR PAKISTAN?

Author: Nasreen Ghufran

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2010v31n2a2

ABSTRACT

Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees over three decades now.While around 3.5 million Afghans have repatriated to their country in recent years, around an estimated 1.7 million registered refugees, are still residing in Pakistan.1There have been many studies about Afghan refugees burdening the economy of Pakistan and becoming a security threat for the host. However, one does not come across much research enquiring whether they have actually beena threat oranopportunity.Largely perceived as threat, one cannot overlook how refugees provide political or economic opportunity for a host stateandhow they contribute positively to the social structures.Most writings about refugees highlight the tribulationsthey create for the receiving state;however, the governments do not present the flip side of refugees, neither to their own people or the international community regarding the prospectsthey bring for the host. This paper analyzesthe threat and opportunity dimensions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Why the refugee issue as a threat hasbeen highlighted whereas itsopportunity under narrated? Have the refugeesbeen an economic burden or asset? Have refugees contributed to social ills of Pakistani society or have they impacted positively? Answering all these questions is expected toprovide a balanced view of Afghan refugees in Pakistan in the paper.