Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: Former President Hamid Karzai has praised Omar Zakhilwal, the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, for his efforts to release Sharbat Gula, an Afghan refugee woman arrested a few days ago by Pakistani police on the charge of having fake documents.
Karzai termed Sharbat Gula as a symbol of beauty, struggle and pain, saying she (Sharbat Gula) represents Afghans at international level for the past 30 years. He called on Pakistan government to immediately release her.
Ambassador Zakhilwal had recently said that he instructed his colleagues to find her family so that they understand the reason behind her arrest.
“It was saddened for me when informed that her husband had been killed and she is now widow and is the only one to look after her four children,” he added.
Sharbat Gula was 12 years old when photographer Steve McCurry captured an iconic image of her living in a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan.
She has a striking green eyes and her photo was also come in a National Geographic cover photo that made her face known around the world.
Now in her 40s, Sharbat Gula — also known as Sharbat Bibi — was arrested in Peshawar on Tuesday for falsifying documents and staying illegally in Pakistan, Pakistani officials said.
