Ghani gives away apartment keys to Sharbat Gula

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani has given away the keys of a residential apartment to Nat Geo's famed 'Afghan Girl' Sharbat Gula and promised taking care of her family’s heath and education.

Gula, who was made famous by a National Geographic cover in 1985, arrived in Kabul on Tuesday night after being deported by Pakistan.

She had been arrested in Peshawar during a raid on her house and convicted of having fake ID papers. She served a 15-day sentence in hospital where she was treated for Hepatitis C.

A statement from the Presidential Palace said after Sharbat Gula’s arrival in the country, the president and first lady met her and her family at the Palace and offered her the keys of an apartment.

It said the president termed Sharbat Gula “an icon of Afghanistan’s pain, oppression and hopes” and said she in the years of war demonstrated the tragic refugees’ situation in a picture to the world.

“Our body is still incomplete because most of the Afghans are refugees,” Ghani said, assuring that the government was making all-out efforts and had a strong determination to pave the way for the return of Afghan migrants from other countries in order complete the body of Afghanistan.

A member of Sharbat Gula’s family  thanked the president for his support. “Sharbat Gula’s life represents Afghanistan’s sorrows and pains, she wants peace in the country so that other refugees return home country like her.”

He asked the president to help Sharbat Gula’s children get education and name a foundation after her. He said the aid money to be earned through the proposed foundation should be then spent in the field of education especially women’s education.

Ghani assured Sharbat Gula: “Yours and yours family life, health and education will be seriously considered and I have told the related organs to offer you every kind of help.”

sns/ma