Fear, uncertainty haunt Afghan students in India

They are two thousand kilometres faraway from home, opened up across India, looking to review , to create for the longer term , for themselves, their families, their country. But within the course of 1 dramatic week, the futures of Afghan students in India, has become one among uncertainty and fear, and worry for what lies ahead.

On Monday, 28-year-old Diana Farzan, a student in Bengaluru spoke to her family in Herat for all of 5 minutes. She wanted to see on her parents and her family, but had another question at the highest of her mind, if she would be allowed to figure . “I’m doing my masters in journalism because i would like to pursue a career as a journalist or revisit to teaching journalism. I don’t know what is going to happen now and what i will be able to I do once I came home. Sit reception as they (Taliban) wants, during a country where I don’t have the proper to vote? I don’t want to try to to that,” said Farzan.

But if Farzan has two more semesters left in India, for an additional student at Bangalore University, the priority is more immediate. An Afghan student, who ordinarily would need to return at the top of the tutorial session said that under the Taliban, Afghanistan would move backwards in time. “I don’t know what i need to do…From what we’ve heard, Taliban rule was a time when a lady didn’t matter. I don’t want that. i will be able to see how things are by the time my course is over,” said the Bangalore college student , who didn’t want to be named.

Ever since the Taliban marched to Kabul, in Odisha’s Rourkela, a 23 year-old engineering student has been making frantic calls to his family, but despite a brief conversation, has had no solace. His father, who works with the Afghan committee and therefore the family have locked themselves inside their home, despite a food shortage. “Our home is within the sururbs of Kabul. But nobody is certain what’s getting to happen as we’ve seen how Taliban have tortured people over last 20 years ,” said the scholar who didn’t want to be named.

The 23-year-old is among the 14 Afghanistan students sponsored by ICCR for scholarships in Odisha, and hoped that when he finished his degree, he would join the “reconstruction” of his country. “But now returning home seems to be dangerous forget working in Afghanistan.”

Another 23 year-old student, Ehsanullah, who joined Utkal University in Bhubaneswar earlier this year, said that the Taliban had actually entered and searched his home, but so far had done no harm. “My father retired from government job earlier this year and every one my five brothers were employed in various wings of the Afghanistan government. Last week, my father’s pension and retirement benefits were cancelled, and brothers lost their jobs,” he said.

For many, the fear is that the very act of selecting to review abroad, or what they’re studying, could also be enough for them to be considered a “traitor” under the Taliban regime. Ibrahim Akbari, a student at Goa University said. “Things could also be okay now but they’re going to soon be coming door to door. My family’s life is in peril if they know that i’m studying here. If i’m going back i will be able to definitely be killed especially if they know that i’m studying politics ,” Akbari told HT.

Akbari said that a pressing concern now’s the necessity for funds, particularly for those students that aren’t on scholarships. “Many are funded by their parents back home who are now unsure of their financial situation and thus cannot send extra money here. Others have rent to pay.”

In Uttarakhand, Hashmi, a PHD student from Kabul, one among the four Afghans studying at Pantnagar University under the Indo-Afghan joint fellowship programme, features a visa that expires in fortnight . “My visa terminates on August 30 and that i wanted to return to Afghanistan as my research here is completed . But this turmoil makes that very uncertain. But here, i will be able to face the matter of how i will be able to remain without a visa if it’s not extended”, he said.

Brijesh Singh, Dean, student welfare in Pant varsity said that the University would stand with its Afghan students and lookout of them on “humanitarian grounds.” “The matter is within the notice of the vice-chancellor. Since it’s a policy matter, we’ll follow the instructions of the Central government during this regard.”

With inputs from Gerard D Souza in Panaji and Mohan Raj in Dehradun