Consequence of conflict in Afghanistan continues....

They had gathered around the charismatic Mullah Mohammed Omar Akhund from Kandahar. Afghans that fled to the West during this period were middle-class urban educated Afghans that felt themselves forced to flee because of the alien and repressive Taliban measures that posed security concerns, as well as the lack of livelihood and education opportunities. A number of them had been employed by international NGOs. In addition, ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Shiite Hazara and Ismaelis, persecuted by the Taleban sought their way out of Afghanistan. The latter were assisted by their richer co-religionists in Pakistan and by organisations of their wealthy religious leader, the Aga Khan. There was also a considerable group of less educated middle-class Afghans that fled to the West to join their relatives there.

According to UNHCR, since the inauguration of the Interim authority, 3.5 million refugees returned to Afghanistan, including all regions and ethnic groups. Refugees from Pakistan are pulled back to Afghanistan, while some refugees feel that they have been pushed out of Iran. A smaller number of refugees and émigrés have come from developed countries and often work for international organizations at very high salaries outside of the official framework. Whenever the international presence in Afghanistan diminishes, many Afghans working for the international organizations will seek to emigrate resulting in a significant measure of brain drain. Hence the brain drain that was very Intense during high-intensity conflict period may remain existent in the years to come.

To be continued......