New Delhi: In the lanes and bylanes of New Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar, shops hug each other seemingly in endless clusters, selling wares from utensils to clothing to furnishing and whatnots. Ensconced between such outlets are the popular eateries, some of which proclaim their specialisation in Afghan cuisine.
Since Monday, October 13, a meeting of some Afghan-origin representatives with visiting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, some members of the community reflected a mix of cautious hope, frustration, and anxiety about their future.
“These were talks by big men in big rooms; it won’t bring us relief tomorrow (in the near future). We’re the nowhere people and need an identity; there’s no job for me, nor any school for my children,” sighed Khaleed, before pedaling away to melt in the crowd.
“Yes, there are hardships as a refugee. But India has accepted us. I thank the government for granting us asylum and the people of this great country, who support us even when we can’t show any document, except a refugee card,” said Faisal Payenda, Chairman, Afghan Refugee Community in India.
Payenda, who stays in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, took shelter in India in 2015. He said he has heard about the Muttaqi meeting. According to him, there are an estimated 15,000 Afghan refugees in the capital at the moment.
He remains optimistic, though cautious. Many community members reflected that sentiment. They feel the current diplomatic engagement underscores India’s historic ties with Afghanistan. They say that clearer lines of communication with Kabul might allow India to negotiate safeguards for Afghans who are already settled in India, or to channel humanitarian assistance more predictably.
With a functional embassy, it will be easier for them to extend the duration of their passports, which will, in turn, facilitate visa processing. They also need clearance from the embassy and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to initiate bank operations.
Ahmad Faisal, currently staying in a two-room accommodation in Bhogal, also said that he was aware of some Afghan representatives meeting Muttaqi. He too came to India in 2015, accompanied by his parents and six siblings.
Beginning as a sundry salesman, he is now engaged with a fellow-Afghan, who has been in India for over three decades, in running one of Lajpat Nagar’s better-known restaurants serving Afghan food.
“I know some representatives have met the visiting Foreign Minister. I heard about some talks of handing ownership of properties we’d left in a hurry. But how can I return now? I feel safer here,” said Faisal, sitting behind his tiny desk at the eatery.
“Yes, without any identity we’re stateless today, but at least alive,” he argued.
Though there was an influx of Afghan asylum seekers in India soon after the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, many have since migrated to other countries. Though the UNHCR and civil society actors are actively supporting them, there are constraints for the diaspora — which is common for any refugee in any part of the world.
Still, the community sheds a drop of tear of joy, in hope that the meetings will soon be followed by parallel, concrete commitments to protect and regularise their lot.
(IANS)
