Afghan Pop Star Aryana Sayeed Slams President Ghani, Fears 'Afghanistan Going Back to Civil War'
18:24 GMT 24.08.2021 (Updated: 16:36 GMT 08.12.2022)
© AP Photo / Rahmat Gul
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After the Taliban* seized power in Afghanistan and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, fear and panic started spreading among the general public for their safety under the militants' rule.
Famous Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed, who recently escaped from her country after the Taliban took over Kabul, has hit out at exiled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, calling him a "coward" for leaving the country.
"I'm truly disappointed with the President [Ashraf Ghani], the way he left Afghanistan in [the] hands of a bunch of Pakistanis. He let down our people, our country, our armed forces and military. How could we fight without any leader? […] That was very coward[ly] of him”, Sayeed said in an interview with Indian news wire ANI from an undisclosed location.
“The day we were leaving Afghanistan on August 15th, he was still giving speeches promising people that everything will be alright. But within the next few hours he disappeared”, she added.
However, Sayeed praised the efforts of Afghanistan's self-proclaimed acting President Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, son of legendary resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, for challenging the Taliban's rule from Panjshir province.
"Whatever is happening now in Panjshir, it is very brave of them. Appreciate that but at the same time, I fear Afghanistan will go back to civil war which is scary. We have been through that and I don't want Afghanistan to go through that once again, I'm really concerned", said Sayeed.
#WATCH | "I'm truly disappointed with the president (Ashraf Ghani), the way he left Afghanistan in hands of a bunch of Pakistanis. He let down our people, our country, our armed forces, military. How could we fight without any leaders?.." says Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed to ANI pic.twitter.com/9kRpThlDZh
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2021
From funding the Taliban to training and instructing them, Sayeed blamed Pakistan for the mess in her war-torn country.
“Over the years, we have seen videos, seen evidence that Pakistan is behind empowering the Taliban. [...] They are being instructed by Pakistan, their bases are in Pakistan where they get their training. I hope the international community first cuts off their funds and doesn't offer funds to Pakistan for funding the Taliban", she said.
Calling India a “true friend”, Sayeed expressed her gratitude towards Indians for extending help to her fellow citizens in Afghanistan.
"They [India] have been very helpful and kind to our people, even refugees. Afghans who have been in India before have always spoken highly of the nation, its people. We are grateful to India", she added.
Sayeed took a dig at international powers for leaving Afghanistan in the middle of nowhere.
"I mean look at all these superpower countries who initially went there and they said our reason of going there is to get rid of al-Qaeda*, get rid of [the] Taliban and then after being there for 20 years and spending millions and millions of dollars, lives of all those soldiers lost there, suddenly they decided to leave Afghanistan and come out and this is something so shocking to me", Sayeed said.
While urging the Taliban to treat innocent people in a more humane way, Sayeed requested the global community to find a lasting solution for peace in the conflict-ridden nation.
"My hope is from the international community to not forget about Afghanistan. Don't forget about the Afghan nationals because it's not their fault they are living in misery now and millions of people in Afghanistan women and children they don't deserve what they are going through now".
In 2015, Sayeed broke three taboos that were forbidden under the Taliban - singing as a woman, not wearing a hijab, and performing at a stadium. During the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, women were largely confined to their homes and the death penalty was given for adultery, homosexuality, and rejecting Islam.
*Terrorist groups banned in Russia and many other nations.
