86
National Geographic's famed 'Afghan Girl' Sharbat Gula, who was deported to Afghanistan from Pakistan last year after being jailed for 'forging' an ID card, said in an exclusive interview with BBC that she was taken aback by the treatment meted out to her by the Pakistani government.
"I had lived for 35 years in Pakistan. It was a very good life. I did not expect the government to behave so harshly and put me behind bars," Gula said.
Her time in Pakistan was not all roses. "We were facing a lot of problems. We were refugees in someone else's country. My husband and eldest daughter died of Hepatitis C."
"Now I have come to my homeland and I am very happy. President Ashraf Ghani, former president Hamid Karzai and all the Afghans helped me."
Speaking about whether she would have done anything differently if given the choice, she said, "If I could go back to being 10 again, I would have studied. I wouldn't have married at 13."
At first, she said, the famed National Geographic cover photo "created more problems than benefits".
"It made me famous but also led to my imprisonment. After all these problems, I want to establish a non-governmental organisation to offer people free medical treatment. Before this, I was a villager. I did not like the photo and the media. Now I am very happy that it gave me honour and made me popular among people. The income from the photo has helped a lot of widows and orphans. Now I am proud of it."
"I want peace and I pray to God no one is forced to leave their country and become a refugee," she said.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (86) Closed
Feb 03, 2017 06:13pm
Putting her behind bars was wrong, but afterwards, Pakistan offered her stay in Pakistan which She refused. She just wanted to fly to Afghanistan at that time.
She was warmly welcomed by Afghan Govt, INITIALLY ONLY, but now it seems she is having her reality check.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:21pm
There is noting like home sweet home.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:22pm
You can expect anything as you were a refugee . Being a refugee one must accept the terms and conditions of country of stay.. by the way your country turned back on us so expect this we ain't gonna welcome you.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:25pm
Pakistan treated you well until your government was bribed by Modi into speaking against Pakistan. What a sell off Afghan government has been. Yet Pakistan is showing patience in ousting Afghan refugees. Does anyone agree that Afghanistan has been too ungrateful to Pakistan just because India threw some money to Afghanistan?
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:26pm
"If I could go back to being 10 again, I would have studied. I wouldn't have married at 13."
This thinking I like most. She is right. Girls should get education and shouldn't get married at 13. Afghan has bright future.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:38pm
Ok we get it, but what do you want now? Dont need to say how well you own country is treating you and compare it to the country you opted to live in for 30 years. Have fun in Afghanistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:36pm
what would the Americans have done if you had obtained illegal documents in the US?
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:39pm
Dear Respected Sister, no sane human would have expected our govt. to behave so harshly.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:46pm
Ungrateful and spiteful despite almost 30 years of Pakistani hospitality and safety.
Maybe now she can seek refugee status in the US? Like her former PM, Karzai did, after Soviets rolled into their country in 1979.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:43pm
Pakistani government did the right thing since you were involved in illegal activity. Plus all Afghans need to go back to their country.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:46pm
She forged an ID card. It's a crime.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:54pm
You break the laws of the country, after living there for 30 odd years. Use fake documents to get benefits, and you don;t expect the country to uphold its laws and treat you like anyone else who did the same?
What could've prevented you to move to a paradise called Afghanistan, if you had a choice?
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:50pm
Please start an NGO to support the refugees stationed in Pakistan. Spread awareness of how happy you are there and take them with you.
We want nothing but a prosperous Afghanistan
Your Pakistani Brother.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:59pm
@Renegade Please don't mix politics with compassion.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:58pm
Thank less and ungrateful ... we we still love them
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:55pm
If praying to God means not doing anything for yourself, then that is not going to work out.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 06:59pm
Pakistan could have treated her better
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 07:01pm
She can always apply for refuge in America. But wait! Its Trump there.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 07:10pm
National Geographic society should help her. She is in deep trouble.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 07:22pm
Dont let any opportunity go vein to defame Pakistan - If you had bit of courtesy and shame nothing but you be thankful to Pakistan who is still hosting largest refugees in the world and all from Afghanistan. You country and Afghan leaders are being played in hands of westerners, good luck being slave, your nation chose it.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 07:20pm
Millions of Afghans still in Pakistan, deporting a woman was not needed at all. Actually the viral of her presence caught attention
and she was asked to leave. She herself aknowledge her 35 years stay in Pakistan as pleasant times & good memories. She is now ok and happy,and there is no need for social media to keep on live news on her.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 07:36pm
Sharbat was an Afghan who did a dangerous crime in pakistan. Still pak released her.
She lived in pak for decades. You can't expect such a response from her.
One thing is written on stone, these Afghans can never become our friend.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:14pm
@shehzada rana . Sorry you are wrong. Afghans historically are our friends and remain so. They fought historic war against the Soviet and saved Pakistan from deadly invasion of Soviet, at that you remember it was an obsession of Soviet to reach warm waters of Arabian Sea. Pakistan will always remain thankful to Afghans, the trusted neighbor and best friend. At present times we must continue help to Afghanistan to stand on its feet,as independent sovereign respectable proud nation.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:18pm
Madam, you took advantage and played in the hands of Indians, to damage Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:17pm
Ms Gula you broke the law by getting forged ID card. This is a crime in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:17pm
@Renegade. I agree with you Bro.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:32pm
Did not Expect Afghans to Back stab their host and conduct Terrorism in the host County.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:29pm
President Ashraf Ghani, former president Hamid Karzai and all the Afghans helped me." And condition meted out to her...and she wants to set up an ngo.
She was a simple lady...now being used by the NDS.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:40pm
@layman Shahzad Rana is right to say "these Afghans can never become our friend." but could not agree with your fairy tale that Afghans saved Pakistan from Soviet For your information they were never our friend and they will never be our friend.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:38pm
Pakistan hosted her and her family for decades and she opted to take fake ID documents and no complaining for harsh treatment!!!
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:41pm
Pakistan was not harsh with Afghan Sharbat Gula. It was harsh against a forged document holder.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:52pm
Lady- when you were kicked out of your country, pakistan took you in. You had a good life in pakistan. But you broke the law and lived on fake ID card. Because of that you were jailed. After that the govt of pakistan offered to release you and offer you valid papers to stay in pakistan, but you refused. Now you are back all praises for Afghanistan and harsh words for Pakistan. When you have to leave again, please do not come here but try Iran or maybe India.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 08:59pm
It was wrong to deport her this way. We should also allow productive Afghans to stay.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:04pm
Pakistan gave her not every necessities that a men needed but at the time of refuge a piece of land is much more to survive but what our AFGHAN government is doing with PAKISTAN to provide safe heavens to anti PAK sentiment.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:05pm
@ga Don't you think things are a bit different in the US? They are a law-abiding nation, at least internally. No comment on their treatment of other countries!
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:18pm
We wish you a very happy life in Afghanistan. Indeed, no place on the earth is appealing for a person than his own country.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:33pm
@Khan nonsense, and more problems,all afghns are dangerous
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:33pm
Afghans are themselves to blame for change of heart by us Pakistanis. We accepted them with open arms and shared our limited resources unconditionally. What did we get in return? Drugs, arms, narcotics and hue and cry on world forums against Pakistan. Its so unfortunate. Its high time that Afghans realize that their prosperity is only possible if they mend fences with Pakistan. Indians are not their friends. Their presence in Afghanistan is solely due to the animosity with Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:58pm
@stranger Now CPEC is there with China money and people nothing to worry now.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 09:58pm
Damage has been done.She has given her opinion at an international forum which will certainly effect the image of a nation to some extent for sure.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:11pm
Living in Pakistan for such a long time and still showing true skin of non graciousness. These are Afghanistans people true face.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:18pm
@nizamuddin Ahmad Aali, well said bhai, hope the same rule should also apply to our rulers, can we do something? Also, if someone lives in a country for 35 years, why didn't the govt. give them the Passport, like most of the countries like US and UK do? How can we defend our Govt. on such actions on poor lady, is it not a shame on our culture?
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:19pm
@pakistani very bad reason, wat she has done, she has lived her life ther now removed her from ther, This s worst behavior.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:22pm
Most of Pakistanis have studied in schools with Afghan refuges, we never consider them refuges !
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:32pm
Not sure what the problem is, why wouldn't someone go to jail for forgery?
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:45pm
Simple and sweet
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:42pm
Harshly how .You have your country back thats where you belong!
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:51pm
This woman broke the law of the country she has given refuge to. Forging fake Nationality card is like espionage.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:56pm
@stranger I agree.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 10:54pm
I agree with her. Things could have been handled in a much better manner. Jailing a known refugee widow ,after 35 years is pathetic.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:11pm
Nothing new. Afghan people were always unthankful to Pakistan despite living in Pakistan for so many decades. You are no exception Gulla Sharbat.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:13pm
these afghanz folks are so mean.... we gave them shelter and food for many years.. and in returns thats what they are telling world.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:15pm
The subtitles are not accurate to its best. At 0.45 she says; "With my fellow Pathans, I lived a beautiful life, spent a beautiful 35 years".
I wish our interior minister who hails from the other side of Indus, knew a little about Pathan values. Sharbat Gul, a poor Pathan, couldn't take the insult and walked away for ever with her Pride. Mr Chaudry who wanted to show his Power lost to a woman. He doesn't know the harm he has committed to Pakistan and in particular the Pathans of Pakistan and Afghanistan which could have been averted.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:25pm
@Amer "Pakistani government did the right thing since you were involved in illegal activity. Plus all Afghans need to go back to their country".
Have you heard of Donald Trump. Do you know, why is he hated?
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:25pm
This is disgrace on Pakistan's face. We ask US and European countries to take us as a refugees and ask them to give same respect as their own citizen but in our own country we are treating refugees badly.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:19pm
I would ask Hamid Karzai and Asraf Ghani to help rest of 3 million refugees to settle back in Afghanistan, don't just pick up one and start bragging about it.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:22pm
She makes fake Pakistani id card she committed crime as per Pakistan law.Govt Should also probe into those officials were involved to issue her id card and punish them to set an example for others.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:21pm
In the comments section, One can clearly see two views. It seems one set of views are from East of Indus and the remaining from the West. Two different value.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:43pm
She is lying, she went back willingly and she was not forced to leave the country.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:41pm
We should ban all afghans from Pakistan. Such ungrateful people.
Recommend
0
Feb 03, 2017 11:54pm
@Zak
she did not say any Harsh words. All she said behaved harshly and put me behind bars. It is not bad thing. She was telling what happened.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 12:15am
What did you expect of corrupts? They only supress weak and law is only applicable to weakest. Many of the people thought the same way.
"I want peace and I pray to God no one is forced to leave their country and become a refugee," says it all. Most of the people can not understand if they dont go through it themselves.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 12:23am
@ga We are not America!!!
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 12:29am
"I want peace and I pray to God no one is forced to leave their country and become a refugee."
AMEN
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 12:36am
You was Wellcomed before and would be more wellcombed now. Afghan and Pakistan are always brothers.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 12:40am
@layman
Historically our friends???? Let me remind you they are the only nation of the world who voted against creation of Pakistan. They called Pakistan sag-e-bartania meaning British dog.
And they fought for themselves against soviet not for the love of Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 01:21am
So the country that gave you refuge for 30 years and in the process sacrificed it's own two generations is no enough for you! I think India will treat you better like it did when you had to leave Afghanistan as a result of Indian support for invasion of Afghanistan by USSR!!
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 01:26am
@Honesty by I don't see why Indian people mention CPEC so often. You guys have worked hard to improve your country. We don't believe in working hard but we are still not too much behind you. We are lucky. Now please can you leave us alone.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 01:53am
After good 30 years Sharbat Bibi?
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 02:00am
Absolutely be put behind bars for having fake documents for living in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 02:22am
is this another way of you saying thank you, no didnt think so , you being an afghani, talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 03:14am
Ungrateful just like rest of her brethren good riddance quicker pakistan sends all afghans and looks after its own people the better
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 03:36am
@Aik tha majnoon
as expected she couldn't wait to go back so that she can be interviewed so show Pakistan badly. conveniently missing out to mention the false documents she was found with,
hosting these Afghans was a mistake. no matter how good or bad hosts we have been. for them .. they can only see bad in us
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 04:03am
The people that are equating Sharbat Gul's harsh treatment, with the actions of the Afghan government are missing the whole point.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 04:36am
The afghan war was over a long time ago. Why you didnt moved back after the war. Just cuz you got caught and deported, finally you ve realized the love of afghan land. Ungreatful and unfaithful
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 04:45am
@Amer
then why complain about US refusing refugees
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 05:02am
Afghan refugees are the money making business for Pakistan. It receives huge amount of FDR and only 105 is disbursed and 90% goes to Pakistani coffer.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 05:03am
@taimoor Will Trump allow Pakistanis to come to US?
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 06:16am
Forging the ID card to establish illegal residence is a crime, matter of time before you would be caught. 35 plus years she lived a life where food and shelter was paid for live 5 million more. All AFG refugees should have gone back years ago, instead of training elements in AFG and filling their pockets the AFG GOVT is better off taking all of them back. Soon the entire border would be sealed and every AFGi would be required to have a visa. Great going AFG, a lot lies in Pakistan and soon you would loose it all...
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 06:35am
@stranger
What a way to comment bro " India threw money at Afghanistan.."
Well construction of National Assembly building,the best medical college and hospital,the biggest dam to generate electricity, school and college, communication net work and lost goes on may be called throwing money ,world calls it re development against the will of Taliban ( you know who's backing them)
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 06:45am
Sorry to say but if you do something illegal then you will face deportation. While I agree her situation could have been handled better we must realize that she did something ILLEGAL and does not matter which country of the world you live in be it Pakistan, USA or England you will be deported for doing such things.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 06:49am
@ATif khan if she would be in US/ Europe with a forged id card then you wouldnt have seen her back. Pakistan has been very courteous.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 07:03am
@Joe could india take the three millon refugees which is much bigger than what youve quoted and that too for 35 yrs.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 07:13am
@Aik tha majnoon ...she is doing much better, and will shortly be going to India for Treatment
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 07:16am
Typical ungrateful, mean, opportunistic afghan.
Recommend
0
Feb 04, 2017 05:12pm
Her ID card was fake and that is why she was sent behind bars and Law is equal for all citizens(and refugees).
Recommend
0
