Pakistan urges mechanisms for distressed people at sea

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has raised at the U.N. last month’s tragic sinking of an overloaded boat off the Greek coast where 700 people, including Pakistanis, were killed while calling for scaling up rescue operations to save lives.

“Mediterranean Sea crossings have become increasingly treacherous,” Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told UN Security Council’s “Arria-Formula” meeting on ‘Refugees and Asylum Seekers crossing borders on Land and At Sea: New Wave of Crisis’

Russia convened the 15-member council meeting under the format of Arria formula, which is named after a former Venezuelan UN ambassador, Diego Arriva. It is a very informal consultation process which affords the Council the opportunity to hear persons in a confidential, informal setting.

The Pakistani envoy highlighted the deadly migrant shipwreck that occurred on June 22, 2023, as he underscored the need for developing mechanisms for people in distress at sea.

“As responsible members of the international community, it is incumbent on us all to ensure the safety and security of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, uphold international law including maritime law, and enforce the prompt rescue of individuals in distress at sea, regardless of their nationality or circumstances,” he said.

There were news reports at the time that Greek coastguards were slow in reacting to the distress call from people aboard the sinking ship.

“One life lost is one too many,” Ambassador Aamir Khan said, adding: “As civilized nations, it is our responsibility to ensure that no life is lost at anytime, anywhere and under all circumstances.

“We must undertake all efforts including by developing a transparent, safe and predictable disembarkation mechanisms for people in distress at sea, while complying with international obligations and without obstructing humanitarian efforts.”

Referring to the deepening humanitarian crisis, the Pakistani envoy said that the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) provided a good framework by outlining key objectives to ease pressure on hosting countries, enhance refugee self-reliance, expand third-country solutions, and support safe and dignified returns.

At the same time, he said the recent GCR Indicator Report called for burden-sharing and strengthen efforts, as ten countries bear the weight of hosting over three-quarters of the world’s refugees, with developing nations accommodating 80% of displaced individuals.

“This is unfair and unequal and cannot be rectified by a business-as-usual approach,” Aamir Khan said.

“We will have to do more … if we want to prevent already desperate situations from becoming catastrophic.”

On its part, he said Pakistan is hosting 3.5 million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees for four decades, despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.

“The humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan necessitates swift international assistance to prevent the prospect of the influx of millions of desperate Afghans seeking refuge from hunger and starvation,” Aamir Khan said, pointing out that Pakistan cannot shoulder any new influx.

“We must help Afghan people. We must not neglect Afghanistan and divert attention away to other emergencies,”he added.