Pakistan assures release of NatGeo's 'Afghan Girl', says envoy

Earlier this week, FIA arrested green-eyed Sharbat Gula for living in the country with 'fraudulent' identity papers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has assured the release of the green-eyed ‘Afghan Mona Lisa’, who was arrested for living in the country with fraudulent identity papers, an Afghan envoy said on Friday.

Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad, Omar Zakhilwal, said that Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz assured the release of Sharbat Gula, who was first photographed in 1984 by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp – situated on the edge of Peshawar.



Earlier this week, the Federal Investigation Agency arrested Gula, now 46, from her home in Nauthia area of Peshawar, according to officials.

While a court hearing has been put in place for November 1, a legal team arranged by Afghan officials in Peshawar continues to meet relevant departments pertaining to her arrest, the ambassador said.

“In light of the implications, Sharbat Gula’s arrest as well as release can have for Pakistan/Afghan people-for-people relations and also the legal weaknesses with the case on which she is charged, I requested Mr Sartaj Aziz that the Pakistan Federal Government issues a directive to release Sharbat Gula immediately," Zakhilwal said in a statement.

"Mr Sartaj Aziz gave me his assurances for which I am grateful,” he added. The envoy said that he called upon Aziz followed by a formal letter seeking her release.



Clarifying the charges against Sharbat Gula, the Afghan envoy disputed police claims that the green-eyed woman has fraudulently received the ID card, adding that Gula’s husband died recently after which she is heading the family.

“Unlike claims by the police, the Pakistan ID card she was holding was not fake and neither was it obtained fraudulently. There are an estimated over 500,000 Afghan refugees to whom Nadra has issued Pakistan national IDs as per its process of which the Ministry of Interior is very well aware,” the Afghan ambassador claimed.

Further, he said the Afghan government would facilitate Gula as well as her family’s immediate repatriation back to Afghanistan with dignity, and support her to resettle in her own country. He revealed that prior to her arrest she had already sold her small house and was preparing to return to Afghanistan.

“I want to add that in 2002 when Sharbat Gula was rediscovered by National Geographic and made headlines worldwide, she along with her family received offers of resettlement in many western countries but her preference was to continue to live in an Islamic country and therefore stayed put in Pakistan," Zakhilwal said.

In support of Afghans settled in Pakistan, the envoy said that Afghans have used these [ID cards] for owning properties and businesses in Pakistan worth an estimated $10 billion.



“This indeed is one important item of our discussion with SAFRON as the repatriation of Afghan refugees is gaining momentum,” he said, adding, "Over 500,000 refugees returned home in the past three-and-a-half months alone and with about 150,000 refugees continuing to return per month."

The Afghan envoy referred to a statement issued by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who had announced a few months earlier a deadline of November 15, 2016 for Afghan refugees holding Pakistani IDs to return them without facing any charges.

On Thursday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees distanced itself from Gula, saying that the green-eyed woman is an undocumented Afghan refugee and the UNHCR can only help documented refugees.