News
Stop flow of Pakistani asylum seekers to Lanka
Pakistani Ahamadiyya Muslim asylum seekers living in Sri Lanka have been asked to discourage any more from their community from coming to Sri Lanka.
Dr. Ifthikar Ahmad Ayaz, who was in Sri Lanka and is an eminent member representing the world-wide Ahamadiyya Muslim community, has made this request from the asylum seekers’ community concentrated in Negombo. Dr. Ayaz who is a prominent member of this community and a known human rights activist has made the request following his visit to meet the asylum seekers last week.
Dr. Ayaz said that he asked any future visitors to refrain from coming here until the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) completes the back log of asylum seeker applications.
Many in the Ahamadiyya Muslim community who have come to Sri Lanka seeking asylum did so on recommendations from members of their community who have already been successful in seeking asylum in Sri Lanka.
There has been a 744% increase in Pakistani asylum seekers in 2013. As the Sunday Times reported many of the new asylum seekers have come after hearing positive reports and receiving assistance from Pakistani asylum seekers who are already in Sri Lanka.
“I met with the UNHCR representative as well and discussed the issues. We understand the limitations on their part as well. They were not ready to receive the sudden influx of the asylum seekers”, Dr. Ayaz said.
He said he requested their community in Pakistan to refrain from coming to Sri Lanka as UNHCR is not equipped to handle a large number of cases.
The Pakistani asylum seekers currently in Sri Lanka belong to both the Ahamadiyya Muslim community and Christian community in Pakistan. The majority of them arrived in Sri Lanka last year making use of a tourist visa.
Many who have filed applications for refugee status with UNHCR are yet to receive a decision on the issue. Meanwhile health and social issues are cropping up among the members of the community putting the local community also at a higher risk.