Ghazni widow falsely assures her children their father returns

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): A woman in southern Ghazni province – whose husband has been killed during the recent conflicts – every day lies to her children about the return of their father.

Shafiqa who has moved to Ghazni City from Aab Band district due to the fear of clashes, but the conflict took her husband in Ghazni city.

The widow is currently living in a ruined mud house in an interview told Pajhwok Afghan News that her husband was killed last year during the fighting and left behind three children.

She broke into tears when remembering her husband, said: “We were living in Aab Band district, my husband was a farmer, had a happy life despite poverty, but when the fighting intensified in the district then we forced to move to Ghazni city.”

She added their problems doubled after started living in Ghazni city and her husband had to work hard in order to earn living for the children.

Before the arrival of the current government, Shafiqa’s husband was killed in an explosion in Kalasabz area of Ghazni city last year.

The widow said they had not seen any happy day after the death of her husband. She also kept her husband’s death secret from the children.

She added: “We mostly don’t have dry bread to eat. My children are always hungry. I hear that people are being helped from one place to another but no one has helped us so far. You don’t even ask. ”

She said: “My children are very young; my oldest son is five-year-old and they ask me for their father every day but I have nothing but lies to them.”

According to Shafiqa, they are facing economic hardship and there is no one else in the family to take care of them.

“For several days now, we don’t have even bread at home, my children are very hungry. I hear that people are being helped but no one has assisted.”

She urged the government and the aiding agencies to help her.

Shafiqa’s five-year-old son, Hayat Khan, told Pajhwok that he polishes people’s shoes and earns 30-40 afghanis daily and he could not buy dry bread.

Maulvi Habibullah Mujahid, director of information and culture, said thousands of families had been affected due to the fighting in the country.

He told Pajhwok that assistance had been provided to poor families also in the past and was being made currently as well.

Sa/nh

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