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PESHAWAR: Violence and fears of persecution have driven thousands of people to seek asylum in other countries, says a report prepared by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Besides, about one million people mostly from the militancy-infested Fata, have left their homes and taken refuge in other areas.Displacement is still taking place from Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai agencies because of terror attacks and military operations.
The UNHCR said the number of Pakistani refugees who had taken shelter in other countries stood at 39,982 and of them 20,017 had sought asylum.
The UN agency grants refugee status to a person who would face persecution in his home country on account of race, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
While the host country grants asylum status to people who are seeking international protection.
Pakistan itself is currently hosting over two million refugees although it is not a party to the 1951 convention on 1967 protocol relating to the status of refugees.
According to the report, 1,900,621 refugees are residing in camps across Pakistan. Most of them are Afghans who have been given Proof of Registration (PoR) cards to validate their stay in the country till the end of 2012.
The refugee agency said Pakistan had provided asylum to 2,095 people. Similarly, Pakistan is also facing the problem of IDPs and approximately 952,035 displaced people who are living in or outside camps while another 1,186,889 have returned to their homes.
Information gathered by this correspondent said that religious scholars, politicians, journalists, artists and members of religious minorities have taken refuge on asylum in different countries.
Well-known Pashto comedian Mir Wais from Tangi area of Charsadda has taken refuge in Malaysia. He had been kidnapped by a militant group and stopped from presenting his shows.
Another popular Pashto actor, Alam Zaib Mujahid, who had also been kidnapped, has shifted to the United Arab Emirates.
Two journalists from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have taken asylum in the United States.
A senior doctor from Fata who was released by kidnappers after payment of Rs8 million ransom tried to go Australia, but he did not get a visa. He and his family have now shifted to Islamabad.
Hindus and Sikhs are mostly migrating to India and Christians trying to seek shelter in western countries.
Senator Afrasiab Khattak, chairman of the Senate's standing committee on human rights, said that insecurity and unrest in different parts of the country are forcing people to flee their homes.
He said over 50 Hindu families had left Balochistan because of incidents of kidnapping while some other people in the province had left the country because of fear of persecution and extrajudicial killings.
Likewise, he said people of Hazara community in Quetta, Shias and those of religious minority groups, including Ahmedis, were feeling threatened and either leaving from their native areas or moving abroad.
"People are taking refuge and asylum because of ethnic and sectarian violence and kidnapping or fear of persecution. The state should take serious notice of the situation and provide protection to its citizens," Mr Khattak said.
Students who have gone to Europe, Australia and other developed countries for higher education are also applying for refugee status or asylum. Australia is a favourite destination for people from the tribal areas.
According to the Australian High Commission in Islamabad 547 Pakistanis had filed applications seeking protection visas in 2010-11.
