She had never texted me in English before, and I had the feeling that she was not comfortable with the language. But then comfort zones had never held back Mazari, who overcame great odds to become governor of Charkint, a district of 32,306 people, in northern Afghanistan’s Balkh province. Charkint’s population used to be more than two lakh strong; most people fled the enduring conflict and subsequent poverty.
Mazari also headed the pro-government militia in Charkint. Unsurprisingly, her name figured prominently on the hit list of Taliban 2.0. I was even more worried about the English text because the internet was awash with speculation that the Taliban had captured her.
Before I could reply to her message, I got a WhatsApp call from her number. “Aap India se hain? (Are you from India)?” asked a man. He said that Mazari’s phone was with him. For a moment, I was worried if he were a Taliban soldier from the tribal lands bordering Pakistan—someone who could speak Urdu.
But when I asked him about himself, he switched the call to video mode. And there was Mazari, sitting on a mat in the far corner of a mid-sized room. Clad in a black burqa, she smiled gently and waved.
Denne historien er fra October 10, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
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Denne historien er fra October 10, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
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