For Centuries People from both end Pakistan and Afghanistan were called Pushtuns because there was no Durand-Line no border and no hatred between Pushtun People. But than their came East-Indian Company and along with it, it brought British Army and hence the entire Afghanistan was divided into two Countries. For years, I used to think that Afghans are our brothers, they are just like us and that there is no division between us whether a Pushtun lives across the border or here in Pakistan he will follow only one rule and that is Pushtun-Wali.
But now, things have gone way too far. I reckon we aren't the same People anymore. Though we speak the same language Pushto, though we have the same tribal customs, rules and regulations. Though we still follow the Pushtun-Wali custom but no there is no possible way to think that we are the same People, we are different, yes we are Pakistanis and they are Afghans.
When Pakistan came into being we were only 40 Million, at that time we left roughly around 55 million Muslims in India, as the time went by the Population of Muslims increased every single year. Now we are around 220 Million and they are roughly about 225 Million. We Pakistanis speak Urdu and so as the Muslims across the border in India speaks the same Language and they also call it Urdu. We love Baryani, Polao, Beef, Lamb, Goat, Chicken curry etc and so as they do. But if you ask any Indian Muslim that would he or she ever come to Pakistan and live here permanently their answer will be no (in exceptional cases I might be wrong) and if mistakenly you said something bad about India they will hate you for that forever. That's how the Indian Muslims are apparently. And I don't expect less from them, it's their Country they should react the way the do. When we Pakistanis live abroad and someone abuses our Country we don't spare their lives, some of us even go to an extreme level of retaliation.
I explained everything above just because of one reason and it is that I have encountered a very odd sitch. Before I get into the main story that what exactly happened let me please explain you and give a brief introductory of a person about whom I am writing this article for and the reasons behind it. He is off-course an Afghan Pushtun.
I have known Ali (I made up this name I don't want to expose his name for many reasons) for almost 4 months now. He runs a small vegetable and fruit shop in a vicinity where I live. Couple of weeks ago when the Pakistan Government announced that it will commence the sixth census in the Country, lots of Afghans got frightened because they believed that they are on the verge of a massive deportation that will be starting soon. Hence, Ali who is around 19 or 20 years old started to panicking as well, out of curiosity and anxiety and also because of a fear he asked me to do him a favour, a favour of explaining him that how can he protect himself from deportation and become a Citizen of Pakistan, offcourse illegally.
We Pakistanis have to admit that we have an extremely soft heart, no matter if you are a Punjabi or Sindhi or Saraiki or Balochi or Pathan or Gilgiti you will be up to help a person if he is in need. So I was extremely sympathetic towards him. He runs this shop in collaboration with his maternal uncle. Who also happens to be an ex-Afghani, why have I used this word ex? Because according to him he made his Pakistani ID card back in 1992 only paying a Rs 20 thousand in bribe.
Now, Ali told me that what if he declares that he is the son of his elder maternal uncle? no one will find out right? According to him his elder brother did the same, he said that his elder brother declared that he is the eldest son of one of their relatives and he is living a free life in Karachi as a Citizen of Pakistan. And when I thought about it he was right, who the hell would know. Do we have a medical laboratories and DNA testing facilities where we will be able to test whether the family relations are authentic or not? No off-course we don't have, nobody in our Government cares. But what happened was that when he discussed this matter with his elder uncle he denied to support him by any means because in this world nothing is free. According to him his uncle was frightened that what if the enquiry happens after his ID card and he will be caught.
Ali family lives in Afghanistan, according to him his mother died when he was only 8, his father re-married and his step-mother doesn't give a f*** about him. He lives here because economically Pakistan is feasible for him, in other words he doesn't give a f**** about Pakistan, and he hates his step-family.
Couple of days ago when Pakistan Government closed down the border I went to Ali's shop just to buy few things from him. I asked him whether or not he has fixed his problem. He told me that his uncle denied him any kind a help. So I asked him sincerely that he should now at least go ahead and register himself as an Afghan Refugee since according to him he has no thumb expressions or any kind of record of him neither with Nadra nor with Afghan Consulate. It made him worried and make me feel bad for him once again. But then we had an argument over the closer of the Afghan border. I told him that his current Government is playing under the hands of Indian Government, he denied it as the rest of the Afghans. When I asked him about the price of the tomatoes he replied 140 Rs. I told him it was just yesterday when I paid 60, how come the price has jumped this high, he replied with an evil smile on his face, that go ahead and close down the border on us once again and you guys will die because of a hunger. His remarks made me worried and I started to realize that yes indeed we are now two different Nationalities, there is no so called brotherhood left between us.
Today just an hour ago before writing this article I went to his shop and after Islamic greetings I congratulated him that the Pakistani Government has finally reopened the Afghan border. Instead of accepting my sincere wishes he replied to me that "well you guys are lucky otherwise your country would had lost in Billions, if you close Our border again India will stop supplying you tomatoes and other vegetables and People in Pakistan will suffer, you guys will suffer soon when India will get a chance to put its hands onto you" this time I went rocker of my head, I said to him "you ungrateful bastards you live here, you earn here, you dig the every single fortune of this Country yet here you are abusing and cursing the every single fortune that this Country has given it to you" I suggested him that he should leave this Country ASAP otherwise if he gets caught, People from Government will do whatever they desire to do with him.
I must confess that I wanted to report him, but then I realized that I shouldn't, and this is why it made me write this article for you guys. I need your suggestions, that what if someone is in a situation like me? Isn't this our duty to report a matters like these to our concerned departments? What if we do, is it considered a sin in Islam. I am completely confused about it and I need a help from every single person out there. I urge to the Government departments too that they really should look into the matters and come out with a solution of the genuine concerns that I have just explained earlier.
This is our Country and we will protect it no matter what. Our elders died and have had given an unlimited, unconditional sacrifices for this Country not because some Afghans ruin its peace and prosperity. I believe our Government and our establishment should look into this matter more seriously, if they let everyone to be the Citizen of Pakistan than I believe Syrians, Yemenis Kashmiris and Palestinians deserve to be the Citizen of Pakistan more than these ungrateful Afghans.
Circumstances and points for this heated debate was wrong .I would say completely wrong .
I think perhaps the major point antagonize him was dragging 'India' in to the conversations.
Afghans are proud people and they obviously dont like when someone says that their Govt is run by some foreigner .
I think in GCC if an Arab says to a Pakistani that their institutions are the puppets of China .What would be your response ?
AFAIK a patriotic Pakistani will kick his face at the very instant.Same would be response for every other nationality.
That is what happened there ,that guy is pissed off because of that same reason.
Shameless people. Spread hate about Pakistan and beg to stay at the same time.
This is horrific, but the Afghans have had a very long time to deal with this. We gave them extension after extension so they can prepare, its not our fault if they decided to do nothing in a decade or so. The Afghan govt. should have been building shelters or set up relevant departments instead of funneling money into anti-Pak groups.
Its illogical to blame Pakistan for their problems, We gave Afghanistan $500 million in aid not that long ago, and each refugee is given money and free grain, whereas other states like Germany simply raid their homes in the middle of the night and send them on a plane without even letting them collect their belongings.
Also, Afghans are treated like second-class citizens in Iran and mass deported yet ive never heard a single word against them?
Then obviously you can understand one thing .They looked down on you .
And they thinks it is Pakistan's duty to house them because of that history of border dispute .
Against Iran ,all this wont even work.
On topic :You should report the Govt.