It is unfortunate that the
Nangarhar province Governor banned use of Pakistani currency, its selling and
buying that facilitates the Afghan people to do business in Pakistan. The
response from the Afghan people however was positive; rather they defied the
Governor’s orders. Many countries claim to be biggest donors of Afghanistan but
very few know that Pakistan is the biggest Muslim donor country that is
generously contributing to financing the socioeconomic uplift of Afghanistan. No
official of Afghan government can undermine Pakistan or its currency, which is
vital to Afghanistan’s economy because of Pakistan’s close proximity with the
neighbouring country.
Pakistan has so far spent over $385 million for development, education and
infrastructure building in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government
has added the huge over $500 million more to this list. Afghan citizens are
allowed to avail medical, education, business and other social service in
Pakistan, not as an alien or immigrant, but at par with the Pakistani citizens.
Over 35,000 Afghans have graduated from various Pakistani universities and
colleges during the last many years. Today they form the backbone of state and
non state owned services of Afghanistan. At present over 50,000 Afghan students
are enrolled in various Pakistani schools, colleges and universities. Pakistan
has funded different educational institutions inside Afghanistan such as Allama
Iqbal Faculty of Arts – Kabul University, Sir Syed Post Graduate Faculty of
Sciences – Nangarhar University, Liaquat Ali Khan Engineering University – Bulkh,
Rehman Baba School – Kabul, and Reshma Baba Hostel – Kabul. Pakistan has helped
the Afghan governments in developmental projects and in building roads
infrastructure, including the 75km-long Torkham-Jalalabad Road, additional
carriage was on Torkham-Jalalabad, three internal roads in Jalalabad, digital
radio link between Kabul and Peshawar. In addition, Pakistan has also given
around 100 public transport buses and 200 trucks to the Government of
Afghanistan for the welfare of Afghan public.
Now, while thousands of Afghan families are packing up to leave for their
homeland, with them they will be taking along the long hospitality, sacrifices
and love of the people of Pakistan. Many amongst them were born in Pakistan
after their parents and other family members arrived here following the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Afghans have integrated into the society and
their generations will remember the hospitality, leaving aside the propaganda of
vested interests.
Fauzia S. Niazi, I-10/4, Islamabad