Disabled Ismail is burden on his poor family in Takhar

TALOQAN (Pajhwok): Ismail, a resident of northern Takhar province, who lost one leg to the past conflict, says all his joys of life have been taken away.

Staring innocently in wrinkled clothes and with cracked hands, the 35-year-old spoke of his pitiful life.

A victim of the war, Ismail said Eids brought no joys to him.

Speaking to Pajhwok Afghan News, the disabled man said: “Five years ago, I was walking towards the market from home in Ishkamesh district, when suddenly I was caught in crossfire and a Kalashnikov bullet pierced my leg, shattering bones and forcing doctors to amputate it. I became a disabled person and at the same time deprived of all the joys of life.”

Ismail said five years had passed since the bitter incident, which confronted him with many challenges in life.

He said: “Disability has deprived me of happy days like Eid, the successive wars in the country have removed the blanket of happiness from thousands of families,” he said.

Currently his only wish is permanent peace in the country, so he no longer hears the sounds of bombs and gunshots.

He said during the conflict he offered night payers at home for three years and did not go to the mosque, but currently he could go to the mosque without any fear because there was no war and he was happy about peace.

Having six children, Ismail is a burden on his father as he cannot work due to his disability and cannot support his children.

He criticized the previous government for paying no attention to his woes and said he was offered nothing including his disability rights.

Maulvi Ehsanullah, head of Takhar’s Martyrs and Disabled Affairs Department, had previously assured Pajhwok that the privileges of people with disabilities would be paid by the government according to the law and without any discrimination.

sa/ma