How could a people establish itself outside its native country is plainly depicted in the form of prosperous Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Their prosperity isn’t restricted to certain field. Though they have been a negligible people in terms of population in Pakistan that is home to over 160 million people, Afghans have prospered tremendously in Pakistan in every sector. Be it education, business, trade, health or investment.

You can find a considerable representation of these people everywhere. Some even believe that today’s Peshawar is built by Afghans through their extensive activities ranging from carpet industry to owning private businesses to investing in education etc. Khyber Bazaar grew to a vast Carpet Market due to the enthusiasm shown by afghan carpet dealers and their generous investments.

A look at tall towers of University Road, Peshawar and the show rooms reveal afghan names and identities. Even the bigger shops dealing with textiles and where the girls and boys of upper class of the city is seen is either owned or managed by Afghan. Indeed, local indigenous Pakistani shopkeepers have even learnt Persian to deal with its Persian speaking afghan clients. Further more, Highly appreciated for their food, afghans have opened up restaurants, hotels, and guest houses.

Afghans while settling in Pakistani cities have also influenced the local culture. In a wedding, for example, a Pakistani would hardly hire a DJ but today they even sometimes go for a live singer and a wedding hall. Ask all the wedding hall owners and their answers appear nearly the same that every other client is an afghan as they like their weddings in Wedding Halls and high class restaurants. PC (Pearl Continental) Hotel, the only five star hotel in Peshawar has a long list of afghan food in its menu.

In addition, nearly all restaurants of the city cook Afghan foods and receive huge pack of guests daily with their wishes to try Afghan dishes. The clothing style as an environmental scientist from the Center of Excellence in Geology puts has changed to a great deal. According to him when he had a visit of Peshawar in the early 90s as a student, he could see no stylish guy around everyone would be seen in traditional shilwar qamees accompanied by a chadar.

Now, while he functions as an environmental scientist he elaborates the difference as something which has more to do with the migration of afghans and their settling in cities than to the influence of Media as Indian channels dominate the Pakistani Cable Networks but no one can be seen in Indian outfits except a few cases of weddings where ladies would appear in Sari.

While all this can be taken as seen in cities amongst the prospering afghans whose source of income varies greatly due to their varied reasons. Some, for example, receive thier relatives financial assistance directly from abroad yet others work through out the day to earn a living. You can see the bus stations packed with afghan transporters.

Carpet factories in the suburbs of Peshawar like Faqir Abad, Gharib Abad and Ring Road areas are full of afghan carpet weavers whose wages range between Rs. 3000-5000 thus providing cheap human power. In addition, a good proportion of the Afghan population live in slum areas of Peshawar and passing their days in destituteness who are also reportedly registered with certain NGOs who do nothing but to rob them off by receiving in their name funds that would be used to fill the pockets of their own employees.

Therefore, they have just been the scapegoat for earning a living to those running the so-called NGOs. I also found out from a Pakistani educationists who had also traveled to Iran and Afghanistan and several other countries for the same subject disclosed that nowhere the deserving afghans get anything. On asking whether Pakistan was not more generous towards Afghanistan the response was negative. In Pakistan according to him due to open market economy some well off afghans did well and expanded their business while the suffering afghans remained unheard and not helped.

In terms of education, the student population can be divided basically into two categories. The first those who receive education under Afghan system of education supported by UNHCR, UNICEF, IRC and afghan government. This system covers an overwhelming population of Afghan students.

The second category includes those who belong to well off families and prefer Pakistani system of education in private schools, colleges and universities. A site of afghan students in large groups at private universities is a common thing. Take for example, Preston University, Qurtaba University, CECOS University and IM Sciences Hayatabad where afghans can normally be seen getting their degrees mostly in business administration. While at the University of Peshawar (UoP) reserved seats at each department serves the purpose very well.

In the course of their migration history, their time spent in Pakistan will be an unforgettable memory to millions of Afghans who saw this land and suffered here and also prospered here. As put by an Afghan elder, “Migration brings suffering first and then prosperity to only those who dare come out of suffering and make his way out”. Indeed, Afghans deserved to be better treated and better looked after.

However, Pakistan with its shaky economy has done better than Iran in dealing with the influx of refugees at all stages. So, now when Afghans return to their much loved motherland they may carry memories of both suffering and prosperity while maintaining their good well relationship with the people of Pakistan where they have also built family relations in some cases.