Pakistan to provide $5m food grant to Rohingya camps

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently approved the decision of a cabinet committee, formed to tackle issues over the plight of Rohingya Muslims, to channel a $5 million grant in the form of food, through the World Food Program, for distribution in Rohingya camps in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Pakistan will also appeal to the United Nations to stress upon the Myanmar government to grant Rohingya Muslims equal citizenship rights and ensure the protection of the oppressed minority community.

Recommendations to intensify diplomatic efforts in this regard were made by the special committee, which were then approved by PM Nawaz Sharif.

The prime minister will write a letter to the United Nations Secretary General, as well as the President of the UN Security Council, as per the recommendations by the committee, highlighting the humanitarian crisis and asking for further intensification of diplomatic and moral pressure on the Myanmar government to grant adequate citizenship rights to the Rohingya community in accordance with international humanitarian laws.

Simultaneously, the adviser to the prime minister will address another letter to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General to propose the creation of a special OIC fund to provide food and other assistance to Rohingya Muslims who have left Myanmar and also those still living there.

The committee will also attempt to sensitize the international community to encourage greater assistance in all forms to the Rohingya Muslims, who are neither claimed by their government nor given shelter in neighboring countries.

In addition, Pakistan will propose the establishment of a three-member committee of OIC foreign ministers who will travel to Myanmar in order to emphasize and urge upon the Myanmar government to restore fundamental rights of the Rohingya community.

The plight of the Rohingyas evoked immediate response from the prime minister and cabinet members and it was decided that a committee led by the interior minister would be constituted to chalk out an effective response to the issue.