Hello everyone,
My name is Rahila Talash. I am one of the Afghan women and girls in Islamabad, Pakistan who have been trapped between the broken promises of governments and Western human-rights organizations and the guns of the Taliban. On August 15, 2021, when the Taliban took control of Kabul and the Afghan government fell, thousands of social activists fled Afghanistan; dozens were killed by the Taliban and dozens more remain missing to this day.
A number of the women and girls who — according to the Taliban — were accused of social activism and therefore could not escape Kabul in the first days after the government’s fall hid in the western districts of Kabul. Not long after, many of these women were arrested by the Taliban; to this day there is still no news of the fate of many of them. Some of these women were brought to Pakistan with direct or indirect help from Western governments and human-rights organizations so they could later be transferred from Pakistan to a country that accepts refugees when the opportunity arose.
Today I am publishing this message on my own behalf and on behalf of 35 women and girls living in Islamabad, Pakistan, whose hope in every promise made to them has been cut off. These women are in a truly desperate situation. Their Pakistani visas have expired, and the government of Pakistan not only refuses to extend their visas but is seeking them in order to arrest them and return them to Afghanistan. If this group is returned to Afghanistan — Taliban-controlled territory — they face a 99% risk of death, because the Taliban consider active women in civil society the staunchest enemies of their ideology and, if given the chance, will silence this group by any means.
After trying every possible avenue, we have found no option other than to reach out for help to you, our fellow human beings, and, as our last hope, to ask you to help us and, with whatever small assistance you can offer, save us from an almost certain death.
To advance our asylum cases in European countries, especially in Spain, we need to have a legal lawyer who will defend our human rights under asylum treaties. Having such a lawyer costs money, which we cannot afford. Right now we are in a situation where we are not even able to meet basic food and drink expenses. Our life in Islamabad, Pakistan resembles that of beggars who, in addition to begging, are being pursued by the police for a crime they did not commit. The help we expect from you, our fellow humans, includes legal fees, tickets to leave Pakistan, and living expenses until then — we need at least €300,00 per person.
Please help us. We have no other hope left and we need your help. 🙏 please send your help on the following Bank account.
Name: Gharjistan e.V.
Kreditinstitut: Sparkasse
Verwendungszweck: Nothilfe für Mädchen
IBAN: DE41 8205 4052 0305 0392 02
BIC: HELADEF1NOR
