What happened to the life of Sharbat Gula, the Afghan girl on the iconic cover of ‘National Geographic’ in 1985

National Geographic photos, more than 30 years apart

Orphan and alone, the young girl had crossed the Afghan borders fleeing the war between the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the Mujahedin, one of the conflicts of the Cold War.

Her life was not easy: she married at a very young age in Peshawar to a baker with whom she had four daughters, one of whom has already passed away. He later returned to Afghanistan, but had to return to Pakistan.

In 2002, the press found her living in the mountains with her three daughters. It took another 10 years before she heard any news: in 2016, Gula, over 40, a widow and responsible for her daughters, was arrested in Pakistan for carrying illegal Pakistani identity documents. She had bribed three officials to get them, for which she was sentenced to 15 days in prison and deportation to Afghanistan.

At that time his photo was again the cover of National Geographic: now dressed in black and with a brown burqa covering her face. Today, she is settled in Afghanistan with her family, thanks to the efforts of President Ashraf Ghani, currently in exile after the emergence of the Taliban.

Sharbat Gula, daughter of iconic ‘National Geographic’ cover, lives with her children in Afghanistan

Ghani and other members of the Government received her upon her expulsion and provided her with a house in Kabul so that she could live with her children. He also recommended a follow-up of his health, very weakened by the disease from which he suffers.