Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover, said that the iconic photo caused her more problems than benefits.
In an interview with BBC, Gula said she had mixed feelings about the picture taken of her by Steve McCurry. “The photo created more problems than benefits. It made me famous but also led to my imprisonment,” she said.
“I am happy that it gave me honour and made me popular among people,” said Gula.
She was welcomed back by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani after she was deported from Pakistan to the war-torn homeland she first fled decades ago.
Pakistani officials handed over Gula, whose haunting eyes were captured in a cover photo taken in a refugee camp in the 1980s, to Afghan border authorities after escorting her from a Peshawar hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C.
She said she had lived a good life in Pakistan for 35 years and was ‘heartbroken’ at the prospect of returning.
Gula, arguably Afghanistan’s most famous refugee, was arrested for living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers.
Gula said she plans to establish an NGO that would provide free medical treatment to people.
“She said she had lived a good life in Pakistan for 35 years and was ‘heartbroken’ at the prospect of returning.” It is sad the Government of Pakistan showed no respect to humanity. Raw and American agents can move freely in the country. Nawaz Sharif and Pak Army are silent when US drones and Pak Army operations create havoc to the inhabitants living in Balochistan and Northern Pakistan. People have now become refugees due to the Army operations. All parties are silent. WHY?
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