PUL-E-KHUMRI (SW): Mohammad Deen and Abdul Qadeer are two former soldiers of the Afghan National Army (ANA) who lost their limbs while fighting against the rebels in Baghlan province.
After serving the nation for years, the two are now selling vegetables due to poverty and lack of support from the government. Mohammad Deen lost his arm a year ago while fighting against the Taliban in central Baghlan district. Abdul Qadeer lost both of his legs to a landmine five years ago. Both of them said the government is not paying attention to their ordeal, and they do not receive their pension on time.
“I served the nation for ten years, but since I have lost my arm to a landmine no one has come for my help, the government has not paid money to me so that I could have left for treatment abroad. Our plea to the government is ‘help us’”, Mohammad Deen said. “I have lost both of my legs while serving in the ANA, it has been five years I am jobless at home, I want the government to pay attention towards our ordeal, and help us”, urged Abdul Qadeer.
Both of them expressed readiness to serve the nation in the security sector despite their disabilities.
Jawed Saleem, spokesman of the ANA’s Special Forces, told Salam Watandar the matter of pension is associated with the Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSWMD), not the Ministry of Defense (MoD). He added there is a commission present at the Sardar Mohammad Dawood Khan hospital that determines if such soldiers are still able to serve or not. Jawed Saleem noted if the soldier is declared unfit for service then he is referred to the MoLSWMD, and a residential plot or a home along with other benefits are awarded to him.
ENDS
