A year after Taliban takeover, Kol Afghans worry about country’s future – Times of India

Kolkata: A year after Taliban took over the reins of administration in Afghanistan, the Afghan diaspora in Kolkata is still anxious over the future of their motherland as stories of the scarcity of essential resources and humanitarian crisis have been reaching them through relatives.
Most of the Afghans — they are popularly known as Khans in Kolkata — have not visited their families in Afghanistan since the takeover last year. Earlier they could not go as air connectivity was suspended. But even when a longer route via Dubai and Iran reopened, none of the Khans from Kolkata returned to the country as they fear that they will not be able to come back to India where their business and livelihoods are well entrenched.
But most of them keep in touch with their relatives over phone and social media.
“On Monday, my relatives sent me some pictures where Talibans were celebrating Independence Day with white flags. Since they took over Kabul on August 15 last year, they have started celebrating Independence Day on the same day like India,” said Amir Khan, president of the Pathan Association in Kolkata.
The Afghan diaspora in Kolkata is around 7,000 strong. While most of them were initially involved in the finance business, they have now diversified into several businesses like apparels, dry fruits and others. Most of them meet at the Maidan every Sunday and play cricket and football.
“We met last Sunday too and offered prayers for our near and dear ones back home,” said Diladar Khan, a second generation Afghan in Kolkata.
Afghans who had come to Kolkata on medical visa left a few months ago when a route via Dubai and Iran opened up.
“Apart from them, nobody has gone back because they are unsure if they will be able to return or not. All of us have our businesses here and we cannot abandon our livelihoods. We cannot call our relatives to India as the Indian embassy there is shut and no visas are being issued,” said Amir Khan.