Desperate to support families, some deportees try to enter Iran again

KABUL (Pajhwok): Unemployed and desperate to support their families, a number of young men try their luck again and again to enter Iran after being forcibly deported to western Herat and Nimroz provinces.

Mohammad Mehdi, who was deported from Iran last month, arrived at the Kandahar bus stop in Kabul once again on Monday morning to travel to Nimroz province and reach Iran via smuggling routes.

Haunted by unemployment and financial problems, he said his family was forcing him to go to Iran again and support the family.

Mohammad Ali, who wanted to go to Iran, said he had tried to enter Iran six times so far. He succeeded thrice to enter Iran, but got forcibly expelled last time.

Ali, who has completed his higher education, said that he decided to go to Iran again due to financial problems and unemployment.

Zakirullah, who is planning to go to Iran, said he could not even earn 10 afghanis here and he has to support his family of 12.

These young people asked the government to create work opportunities for all citizens of the country so the youth avoid the dangerous journey to Iran and other countries.

However, officials of passenger transport companies say the number of passengers going to Iran from Nimroz or Herat has decreased recently compared to their number three months ago,.

Samim Jannati, manager of a passenger company at the Kandahar bus stop in Kabul, said their ticket sales declined following forced evictions and recent developments in neighboring countries.

Jahanzeib, manager of another company, pointed out that Nimroz and Herat bound passengers had decreased. “Passengers who go to these two provinces hail from remote provinces and they travel with families and do not have a good economic situation”.

According to him, many people even in a better financial situation go to Iran on visa through Islam Qala port, but poor persons try to reach Iran via smuggling routes.

However, Samiullah Ebrahimi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said jobs were created for more than 50,000 people last year.

He emphasized that the caretaker government was committed to creating more job opportunities for all young people in the country.

sa/ma