Experiencing Interruptions?

No jobs, no school: Afghan refugees in Pakistan see only a dark future

Khajida Hazara fled Afghanistan in August 2021 after the Taliban drove out government forces and took over the country. Fearing the group would reimpose its harsh interpretation of sharia law as it had in the 1990s, Hazara fled to neighbouring Pakistan, where she now lives as an unregistered refugee. Although safe from the Taliban, she says her future is far from secure. Pakistan does not give Afghan refugees opportunities for education or employment. Some Afghan families who have been living in Pakistan for decades still have no path to citizenship, including entire generations without livelihood prospects or the chance to leave the camps to improve their lives.

  • Waseem Shahzad Qadri
    Producer
  • Waseem Shahzad Qadri
    Writer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Web / New Media
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Afghanistan
  • Country of Filming:
    Pakistan
  • Language:
    English, Persian, Urdu
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Serbest International Film Festival (SIFF)
    Kishinev
    Moldova, Republic of
    September 5, 2023
    Semi-Finalist/awards
  • Cinemaking International Film Festival
    Dhakka
    Bangladesh
    December 16, 2023
    Selected/Awarded
  • San Luis Film Festival, USA
    San Luis, Arizona
    United States
    November 14, 2023
    Nominee/ Awards
  • Filmmaker Sessions Hosted by @LiftOffGlobalNetwork
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 12, 2023
    Finalist/ 3rd
Director Biography

Chieu Luu is the Deputy Director, Video at the Post, where he manages the daily operations of the video team and produces stories from Hong Kong, China and across Asia. He previously worked for CNN in Hong Kong, CGTN in Beijing and Al Jazeera English in Washington DC and Kuala Lumpur. Chieu began his career at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto. He is a graduate of Ryerson University's School of Journalism.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Khajida Hazara fled Afghanistan in August 2021 after the Taliban drove out government forces and took over the country. Fearing the group would reimpose its harsh interpretation of sharia law as it had in the 1990s, Hazara fled to neighbouring Pakistan, where she now lives as an unregistered refugee. Although safe from the Taliban, she says her future is far from secure. Pakistan does not give Afghan refugees opportunities for education or employment. Some Afghan families who have been living in Pakistan for decades still have no path to citizenship, including entire generations without livelihood prospects or the chance to leave the camps to improve their lives.