Amid forced deportations, Afghan youth try to make it back to Iran

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A number of youth in western Herat province try to make it back to Iran on a daily basis after being forcibly deported due to dire economic situation.

They name unemployment a challenge and the driving force behind their frustration to leave the country, but officials say efforts have been undertaken to create employment opportunities for young people.

While holding a bag of clothes in his hand, a resident of Adraskan district, Ghulam Farooq, told Pajhwok Afghan News he had been unable to find work since last two years and that was why he was leaving the country.

He said it there were employment opportunities, he would prefer to stay in the country and work to support his family.

“There is no security problem in the country now, but I want to leave the country due to unemployment,” another Herati youth told Pajhwok. He urged the government to create jobs for the youth.

A resident of Shindand district, Anas said he always travelled to Iran legally on visa and passport, but he did not feel safe in Iran. “The government should make efforts to strengthen our passport to be accepted in neighboring countries.”

To prevent legal and illegal migration of the youth to other countries, Anas asked the government to create employment opportunities.

Social affairs experts say in order to decrease the level of migration to other countries, employment opportunities must be created on all levels.

One expert Gullab Haidari told Pajhwok the youth was the national wealth and to prevent their migration to other countries, they must be provided employment opportunities inside the country.

However, extraction work at some mines has been started, creating jobs for many, Haidari said.

Labor and Social Affairs director Hafiz Mirza Mohammad Abu Mansoor said trade opportunities had improved in Herat and over 600 factories were functioning in the province.

He rejected widespread unemployment in the country and said those choosing to migrate to other countries had different mindset or they had no patience to search for jobs in the country. “That is why they choose migration to other countries”.

He said there was unemployment in the country, but the government of Islamic Emirate (IE) was making efforts to address the problem.

aw/ma

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