Pakistan: Islamabad: UNHCR organized a number of virtual activities to mark the annual World Refugee Day on 20 June. Among them was a special virtual event convened on 19 June to commemorate the courage and resilience of refugees and host communities responding to the COVID-19 pandemic “on the front lines”. Multimedia content specifically tailored to mark this day was featured and shared on social media channels.

Pakistan: Islamabad: A meeting of the Friends of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees was convened by the Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan, His Excellency Mr. Bernhard Schlagheck, on 24 June 2020. The following issues were discussed: UNHCR Pakistan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Refugee Forum, the Refugee Summit Islamabad, as well as the Support Platform for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees and its forthcoming Portfolio of Projects.

Pakistan: Peshawar: In mid-August 2020, UNHCR and its partner, Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), handed over coveralls – produced by Afghan refugees – to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in Peshawar. This initiative responded to the call to create livelihood opportunities to refugees. Skilled Afghan refugee tailors stitched the coveralls and non-medical face masks, and were able to earn from each item stitched.

Pakistan: Islamabad: The UNHCR Representative in undertook her first field mission to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in early August 2020. During her visit, she inaugurated a multipurpose model community centre in Khazana refugee village near Peshawar. The community centre will be used for learning and community-building, benefitting Afghan refugees and Pakistani host communities. Together with the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Establishment, the UNHCR Representative also performed a ceremonial “breaking of the ground” to mark the start of the rehabilitation of a government primary school in Peshawar, as part of the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) initiative.

Pakistan: Islamabad: Following the launch of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) Support Platform at the Global Refugee Forum in December 2019, and the subsequent Refugee Summit Islamabad held in Islamabad in February 2020, the High-Level Meeting on the SSAR Support Platform was organized on 6 July 2020. The virtual event was convened by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, together with high-level representatives from the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Pakistan: Islamabad: In order to respond to the urgent needs of refugees in Pakistan, UNHCR is providing a four-month cash grant to the most vulnerable refugee families who are greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the programme, UNHCR is providing Rs.12,000 one-time cash assistance to the refugees across the country. Some 80,000 of the most vulnerable refugee families are being targeted for this support at this time. Over 75,000 refugee families have already received the cash assistance.

Pakistan: Islamabad: In the month of November, UNHCR Director for Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Indrika Ratwatte, visited Pakistan. Mr. Ratwatte, paid a courtesy call to Foreign Secretary, Mr. Sohail Mahmood, Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador (R) Mohammad Sadiq, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Najibullah Alikhil, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Mr. Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan during his visit. Mr. Ratwatte, met with the Country Director of the World Bank, Ambassador of Germany and Switzerland, and the representatives of various key donors.

Pakistan: Quetta: The UNHCR Representative undertook her first visit to Balochistan in September. During her visit, she inaugurated the skills development project for refugee and local women in Quetta. She also inaugurated the state-of-the-art laboratory at the Children Hospital. The Representative interacted with male and female refugee outreach volunteers and refugee elders from different refugee villages in Balochistan. She met with the Governor of Balochistan, Justice retired Amanullah Khan Yasinzai and discussed issues related to Afghan refugees in Balochistan.

Pakistan: Islamabad: In the months of November and December, UNHCR with the support of other UN agencies and partners arranged activities to mark the 16 Days of Activism campaign.

Pakistan: Karachi: UNHCR handed over blankets, sleeping mates, jerrycans, and plastic sheets to the National Disaster Management Authority for onward distribution to Pakistani communities who were affected by floods and rainfall in Karachi and other parts of the Sindh province. UNHCR also supported Afghan refugees in Karachi.