International Migrants Day being observed today

International Migrants Day is being observed across the world today. According to facts and figures, more than two billion people in the world are spending lives as migrants.

The day is observed to raise awareness about the role and rights of the migrants on an international level and to address the problems of the migrants.

According to the United Nations (UN), 2.600 billion people are settled in other countries as migrants. The day is marked on a government, individual and organizational level as to share the information about basic rights and struggles of the migrants in a country.

Secretary General of UN Ban Ki Moon, in a special message on the occasion, said that the basic rights of the migrants should be protected.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, migrants from countries such as Afghanistan, Myanmar and Iran have settled in the country. In the Soviet Afghan War, Afghan refugees migrated to Pakistan due to the war in the region. The refugees have permanently settled in the Northern region of Pakistan especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

However, Pakistani citizens have migrated mostly to European states and Arabian states such as the Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia and others. The main reason behind the migration is to have a better status of living, law and order situation and better employment opportunities.

International Migrants Day teaches the world to respect the rights of the migrants  and address their issues on an international platform.