Dehradun: The fast-changing socio- and political situation in Afghanistan have left the Afghan expatriates world over in a state of shock. In India, family members of Badshah Dost Mohammad Khan of Afghanistan who had settled in India since 1876 are deeply worried about their fellow countrymen after the Taliban took over.
The Khans are among the several families of Afghan origin who have settled in Dehradun. Also, Dost Mohammad Khan is the founder of the Barakzai dynasty.
Now, Mohammad Ali Khan -- a descendent of Dost Mohammad Khan -- who lives in Rajpur Road area of Dehradun is deeply troubled given the current situation in Afghanistan and has sought the global community's intervention in dealing with the Afghan crisis. He is especially concerned about the safety of girls and women living there given the brutal history of the Taliban.
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Describing the situation there, Khan said that he had a conversation with a doctor living in Kabul and learnt that people are living in fear with each passing day. "They want to be free from the clutches of the Taliban. Those who are rich and capable are fleeing the country. Those who are trapped there with no option left are scared and helpless," Khan said.
He went on to add: "In the remote provinces of Afghanistan, the Taliban have begun openly implementing their religious agenda, which has made life difficult for women and children."
Mohammad Ali Khan, a member of the fourth generation of the Afghan Badshah lineage, lives with his family on Rajpur Road in Dehradun. It was in 1876 that their family had migrated to India. His cousin, Suhaila Karzai, had served as a general in Afghanistan.
Also, the world-famous 'Basmati Rice' of Dehradun is known for its fragrance and taste. It was Khan who introduced Basmati to the Doon Valley and is credited for having improved its genetic variety.
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What happened in Afghanistan?
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan two weeks before the United States was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.
The insurgents stormed across the country capturing all major cities in a matter of days as Afghan security forces melted away. The militant group that ran the country in the late 1990s have again taken control.
The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 ousted the insurgents from power, but they never left. After they blitzed across the country recently, the Western-backed government that has run the country for 20 years collapsed.
Amid the chaos, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had given up power and fled the war-torn nation as the Taliban formed an interim government.
