Pak tells UN it has suffered most from Afghan conflict

United Nations, Nov 12 : Pakistan has reportedly told the United Nations that it had suffered "the most" from the direct consequences of decades of conflict and instability in Afghanistan.

He said a large number of Afghan refugees, including Al Qaeda and the Taliban, were staying in Pakistan after illegally crossing from across the Afghan border.

"We have endured political, social, economic and environmental consequences of the protracted war in Afghanistan and the presence of vast numbers of refugees in Pakistan, which manifest itself even today in the form of Al Qaeda and Taliban that cross the border into Pakistan," the Daily Times quoted Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Abdullah Hussain Haroon as saying in his statement in the General Assembly during a debate on the situation in Afghanistan.

The ambassador said hosting Afghan refugees in Pakistan over the years had cost his country around 150 billion dollars, an amount which is almost equal to Pakistan's GDP for a year. "Our contribution has cost us dearly and brought us to the financial difficulties that we face today," he said and added that Pakistan's contributions in the fight against terrorism were "unmatched".

"Pakistan is not only one of the largest troop contributors to the UN but has also deployed 110,000 troops along the Afghan border to control the war from spilling over to other parts of the region," he added.

ANI