Pakistan to deport National Geographic’s ‘Afghan Girl’

She has become a symbol of her country’s wars, after Pakistan found her guilty of illegally obtaining an identity card.

Pakistani security officials escort Sharbat Gula on November 4, 2016, after a court hearing in Peshawar, Pakistan. The so-called ‘Aghan Girl’ was found guilty of illegally obtaining a Pakistani identiShow more

PESHAWAR // A Pakistani judge on Friday ordered the deportation of Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed "Afghan Girl" whose 1985 photo in National Geographic became a symbol of her country's wars, after finding her guilty of illegally obtaining a Pakistani identity card.

Gula, now in her 40s, was also sentenced to 15 days in jail and fined about 100,000 rupees (Dh3,500)

She had been living in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar for years with her husband and children. Her family has said her husband died a few years ago.

An Afghan consulate official said Gula could be freed in three days, as she had spent more than 10 days in prison since her arrest.

“On the coming Monday, she will be deported,” said Abdul Hameed Jalili. “The government and the people of Afghanistan await Sharbat Gula with great emotion, and will welcome her very warmly.”

Judge Farah Jamshed of an anti-corruption and immigration court in Peshawar convicted Gula under the Foreign Act, a copy of the ruling showed.

Gula has been in custody since her arrest on Wednesday last week.

She was recently moved to a hospital to treat a fever and high blood pressure, said Dr Ghulam Subhani, medical superintendent of the Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital, where her family have visited her.

She appeared in court on Friday for the verdict.

Gula was for years the face of Afghanistan's suffering, after National Geographic published the image of the young refugee, her defiant, pained eyes staring out from an unsmiling face, framed by a shawl.

Her legal case came amid Pakistani pressure to send 2.5 million Afghan refugees home, although Afghanistan faces a Taliban insurgency and would struggle to look after so many people.

* Reuters