Escaping the Taliban: CTV News' Genevieve Beauchemin meets Afghan refugees left in limbo in Pakistan
Escaping the Taliban: CTV News' Genevieve Beauchemin meets Afghan refugees left in limbo in Pakistan
Amid the bustling streets of Pakistan – full of noise and teeming with life – thousands of people are waiting, their lives on hold indefinitely, after narrowly escaping the Taliban.
CTV News' Genevieve Beauchemin, along with CTV National News executive producer Rosa Hwang, travelled recently to Islamabad, a place that has long-been a refuge for Afghans, to meet those in limbo, many of whom are widows with children.
Many of the Afghan people she met came to live in makeshift refugee camps set up in Pakistani parks following the Taliban's deadly takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Now these refugees are playing a waiting game in Pakistan's crowded camps, often without clean water. For now it's their only option.
"Their lives have been shattered by the fall of Kabul into Taliban hands. They cannot return to Afghanistan, cannot stay in Pakistan, and for now have nowhere else to go," Beauchemin said.
Her reflections on the people she met in the makeshift refugee camps of Islamabad aired Friday CTV News Channel, in a special titled, "Escaping the Taliban: Reporter's Notebook by Genevieve Beauchemin." The special can also be watched on Crave.
Her recollections include stories from people like Reza Kateb, who has been awarded by the Canadian government for his efforts on gender equality in Afghanistan. After escaping retribution from the Taliban because of his work, Kateb, his wife and three children still wait for a flight to Canada more than a year later, despite his recognition.
His story is one of several. Others, too, spoke to CTV News about feeling that the Canadian government let them down.
One man spoke of selling everything his family had to get to Pakistan. Another woman told of the depression her five-year-old had begun to feel, saying he'd stopped eating and playing.
“The lives of Afghans living in Pakistan waiting for refuge in Canada are on hold. They are not allowed to work, their children are not allowed to go to school. And that is often among the first thing people told me: that they wanted their sons and daughters to have an education," Beauchemin said.
Theirs is a waiting game that has become dangerous, as the Pakistani government begins to arrest and deport foreigners without visas or with expired visas, leaving many refugees in fear of having to return to Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban's takeover, Canada has welcomed 27,670 Afghan refugees, but advocates and families of Afghan nationals continue to apply pressure to the Canadian government in fear of the safety of their families.
Additionally, deadly floods have swept entire villages and towns in Pakistan during what was one of its worst monsoon seasons, exacerbated by climate change. It was a setback that is said to cost the nation US$40 billion in damages.
“Pakistan has been through a horrific few months as it tries to recover from devastating floods that forced many out of their homes, and that is such an important story to share," Beauchemin said.
Among the most vulnerable to the impacts of the flooding are refugees, some of whom spoke about being homeless and having no access to facilities.
Despite evident hopelessness felt by many as they count the hours, the minutes, until they can fly to another country to start over, she said, "we found stories of resilience," she said.
In particular, Beauchemin said she kept thinking about one girl who'd decided to teach other children the alphabet. Despite the conditions and unanswered questions, she managed to keep a bright smile on her face.
Noting how hopeful she was, Beauchemin said she doesn't want the world to let her down.
CTV News Channel aired the CTV News Special "Escaping the Taliban: Reporter's Notebook by Genevieve Beauchemin" on Friday, Feb. 3, at 9 p.m. EST.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
The United States' first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
Montreal police say they don't think they'll find more than seven bodies in the rubble of an Old Montreal building that caught fire eight days ago. Police told reporters today they don't have reports of more people missing, adding that it's "improbable" there are more than seven victims.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
As the federal government looks to renegotiate the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S., an eastern Ontario mayor says his city needs more help from Ottawa to deal with the influx of asylum seekers arriving through irregular crossings like Roxham Road.
A lawyer for Donald Trump was back in court Friday after being ordered to answer questions before a grand jury investigating the possible mishandling of classified documents at the former president's Florida estate.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
Protesters angry at French President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms continued with scattered actions on Friday, as the unrest across the country led officials to postpone a planned state visit by King Charles III.
Rwanda's government has commuted the sentence of Paul Rusesabagina, who inspired the film 'Hotel Rwanda' for saving hundreds of countrymen from genocide but was convicted of terrorism offences years later in a widely criticized trial.
Filipino diplomats confronted Chinese officials in closed-door talks Friday with a slew of protests over China's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, including targeting a Philippine coast guard ship with a military-grade laser, but no resolution was reached on the issues, an official said.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in London on Friday as protesters shouting 'Shame!' In Hebrew demonstrated against the Israeli leader's right-wing policies and his plans to overhaul the country's judiciary.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made it to Canada, as part of his first official visit since taking office. Alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden will be meeting with top officials and addressing Parliament in an effort to reaffirm the strength of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived in Canada, kicking off his short but long-awaited overnight official visit to Canada. The official itinerary has just been released; here's everything you need to know about what will be on the agenda, and what key players are saying about the upcoming visit.
The United States' first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink.
Hershey Co. is looking to reduce 'trace' amounts of lead and cadmium in its chocolate, chief financial officer Steve Voskiul told Reuters on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports found that some dark chocolate bars had potentially harmful levels of the heavy metals.
A growing number of Muslim doctors and psychologists are trying to bridge the gap between faith leaders and worshippers with eating disorders, who say they face marginalization when trying to access support within their own communities, as well as in the public health system.
For the first time, autism is being diagnosed more frequently in Black and Hispanic children than in white kids in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
Water containing a radioactive material has leaked for a second time from a nuclear plant near Minneapolis and the plant will be shut down, but there is no danger to the public, the plant's owner said Thursday.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
Seven law enforcement officers have sued rap artist Afroman, accusing him of improperly using footage from a police raid on his Ohio home last year in his music videos.
Depeche Mode's 15th studio album feels both like a tribute to founding member and keyboardist Andy Fletcher who died in May 2022, as well as a mission statement of the remaining duo's music.
Gwyneth Paltrow and the man who broke four ribs after the two collided at a Utah ski resort seven years ago are both expected to testify Friday in a trial over his claims that the movie star's recklessness caused his concussion and lasting physical injuries.
Shares in Deutsche Bank, Germany's largest lender, fell sharply on Friday, dragging down major European banks as fears about weaknesses in the global financial system send fresh shudders through the markets.
Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 1.4 per cent to $66.4 billion in January, helped by gains at motor vehicle and parts dealers as well as gas stations.
Japanese chef Tomoya Kawada has achieved a feat no other restaurateur has before; he's created the world's only three-Michelin-star Chinese restaurant in a non-Chinese-speaking city.
United States President Joe Biden is staying in Ottawa on his short trip north of the border, but the catering team from the National Arts Centre plans to take him on a cross-country culinary tour Friday evening.
People who visit London's Westminster Abbey after the coronation of King Charles III will be allowed to stand on the exact spot where he was crowned, but they will need to make sure they don't have holes in their socks for the shoeless tour, designed to protect the abbey's medieval mosaic floor.
Pride nights, held annually for several years by National Hockey League teams to show support for the LGBTQ2S+ community, are in the spotlight following several high-profile incidents this season.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
The making of the hugely popular BBC car show 'Top Gear' has been halted following a crash during filming in December that left co-presenter Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff with serious injuries, the broadcaster said late on Thursday.
California lawmakers on Thursday will vote on whether to allow penalties on oil companies for price gouging at the pump, a first-in-the-country proposal aimed at stopping the kind of spikes last summer that caused some drivers pay up to US$8 per gallon as the industry reaped super-sized profits.
