Afghan students in Chandigarh face uncertain future

| | Chandigarh
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Afghan students in Chandigarh face uncertain future

Thursday, 19 August 2021 | Nishu Mahajan | Chandigarh

History repeats itself so quickly…Everything is still difficult to comprehend. I am concerned about my family members who are absolutely petrified with the Taliban's rapid return to power in Afghanistan,” says 24-year-old Parwana Hussaini.

Parwana, a postgraduate student at DAV College here belongs to Afghanistan’s Bamyan province. She says, “Life in Afghanistan has become extremely risky for the citizens, especially women. The Taliban can’t be trusted despite their vows to honour women's rights within Islamic law. We have not forgotten the previous Taliban rule, when women suffered extensive human rights violations.”

“Over the last couple of days, the entire world has seen photographs and videos of Kabul airport where Afghans are desperately trying to escape another Taliban regime. The disturbing pictures of people falling from departing aircraft from Kabul says it all,” she says.

The extraordinary images of thousands of Afghans flooding the Kabul airport, people clinging on to a US military aircraft about to take off and Afghan nationals falling to death from the sky have now become powerful summations of fear and panic of being trapped in the bleak future that awaits the war-torn country.

As Taliban insurgents swept through Afghanistan without facing any resistance, returning to power after nearly two decades, millions of Afghan women are now fearful of a return of an oppressive regime, under which they lived from 1996 to 2001.

Parwana tells, “She is worried about her younger sister and brother who lives in Kabul and other family members who live in Bamyan. I was able to contact them on Tuesday after about a week. They are living under a constant state of fear and have not stepped out of home yet.”

“I came to India in 2016 and went to Afghanistan in March this year after four years. The situation became tense in April itself when the USA had announced to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan. I had planned to go back and serve my country after completing my post-graduation here. But the future seems very uncertain now. My family has told me not to return,” says Parwana while sharing her agony.

Voicing concern over the fear of return of “dark days” for Afghan women, she urges that the United Nations, the USA, India and other countries should come forward to ensure that the hard-won rights of women are protected.

Her fears are echoed by many students of Afghan-origin who are studying here on scholarship from ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations). Many of them have not been able to connect with their families in the far-off homeland that fell to the Taliban on August 15.

Another female student from Afghanistan who spoke to The Pioneer on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals says, “Whatever we achieved in the last 20 years was lost in a blink of an eye. Taliban’s rule will bring doom to Afghans, especially women.”

This 24-year-old student, who has recently completed her post-graduation in Chandigarh, tells her family lives in Kabul. She has three unmarried younger sisters and one elder sister, who is married.

Sharing her concerns about her sisters, she says, “There have been reports of women being forced to marry Taliban fighters in various parts of Afghanistan. This remains a major concern for us. I have talked to my family members. They are too afraid to leave home now and wondering what the future will bring… I am really concerned about my sisters’ education and safety."

She also fears that she may bring harm to her family and has stopped posting anything on social media against the Taliban.

Asserting that that the gains made by Afghan women in education and employment over the past 20 years are under grave threat today, she says, “Afghans have earlier lived under Taliban’s brutal regime where women were subjected to persistent human rights violations, denied education and employment, publicly flogged and were forced to follow a dress code.”

“I am sad as well as angry over how the helpless Afghan women are now facing a grim future under Taliban rule. The international community failed the people of Afghanistan,” she further adds.

Many Afghan-origin students who had come to India with a dream of completing their education and returning to their homeland to work for its upliftment, are also staring at a bleak future. These students, who were too young during the previous ruthless regime of Taliban in late 90s have frightening memories of this fundamentalist Islamic force.

Ali Nazar Nabizada (27), who is also from Kabul recalls, “During my childhood, I have seen elders and women being brutally beaten by Taliban insurgents. I remember how women were not allowed to leave home without being accompanied by a male relative. During their previous rule, they (Taliban) implemented their strict interpretation of Sharia law, under which public executions and floggings were common. How can people live under such a regime again?”

Ali, a postgraduate student in DAV College says, “I am worried about my family back home. My two brothers live in Kabul with their families and they are very scared since the Taliban has taken over.”

Troubled with the way things have turned out, he says, “We feel betrayed…Afghanistan is facing a humanitarian crisis while the world stands as a mute spectator.”

Another Afghan-origin student, who is a Ph.D scholar at Panjab University, tells he wanted to go back to his country and work in the government sector. I am studying political science and had developed many contacts over a period of time in my homeland with a hope to work there. But now, the future looks uncertain, he says.

This 30-year-old student requesting anonymity says few of my family members are in India while others are in Kabul. All my dreams of working in my country are shattered as even if I return to Afghanistan, I don’t think the Taliban would allow me to work… For them, educated people are a threat. They claim to be more moderate this time and are engaging in image-building exercises but once they take full control, we will see the rise of extremism again,” he says while pausing for a few seconds and again requesting not to reveal his identity.

He further shares, “The Afghan students, who are at the end of their scholarship programmes here, will have to go back to the country while many others are facing financial difficulties. These students are dependent on their families in Afghanistan for monetary help but many of them have not been able to contact their families and get any financial assistance as banks remain closed there after the Taliban took over.”

“It feels like a very bad dream. I am worried about my family, my future and my country’s future. Nobody knows what lies ahead,” he concludes.

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