Fascinating photos capture life before Taliban in Afghanistan

Photos show short skirts, flash cars and no burkas before Afghanistan plunged into hell

War-torn images of Afghanistan have been at the forefront of media and news agencies, which has left the world with little to imagine of what the country was like before war.

An eye-opening collection of photographs was captured by university professor Dr Bill Podlich from Arizona, who swapped life in America to travel to Kabul with his wife, Margaret, and two teenage daughters, Jan and Peg. Using his Kodachrome film, his images portray a peaceful Afghanistan making strides towards a more liberal and westernised lifestyle--a stark contrast to harrowing sights seen during Taliban regime.

Podlich captured the idyllic images in 1967, when the professor teamed up with Unesco to work in the Higher Teachers College of Kabul. Not only did he set out to document their way of life, but he built a relationship with the Afghans he encountered.

His photographs show serene images including those of men having a picnic, boys playing in the Kabul river and girls smiling during lessons.

Others show bustling marketplaces, colourful gardens and laughing children. Other photographs feature happy Afghans enjoying peaceful family time.











































PHOTOS: BILL PODLICH FOR MAIL ONLINE