Overseas Afghans remit money to support families

"On average, I personally remit some 2,000 Dirham which is equal to 26,000 Afghanis (around 578 U.S. dollars) send to my family in Khost province each month," Katib Gul said. Gul, 51, said that he along with his two sons and a nephew have been working in United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain cities over the past 10 years, and have reasonable income to feed themselves and support family at home country. Coming home on vocation to spend Eidul Adha -- the Muslims largest annual holiday begins Nov. 10, with family at home country, the clean shaved Gul said he would study working condition in Afghanistan if conducive, he would establish a cloth shop here in Afghan capital Kabul in the coming months. However, he said he wants his sons and nephew to continue working in UAE and earn as much money as they can because they are young and energetic. Another Afghan, introduced himself as Anzor and accompanying Katib Gul in the same flight from UAE to Kabul, said that he has been serving as driver in Abu Dhabi city. Contrary to Katib Gul, Anzor was a bearded and seemed younger than Gul. He said he has no plan to shift to Afghanistan at least in near future. "My salary as driver in Abu Dhabi is reasonable and sends 1,200 Dirham to my family in Paktia province every month. I have no plan to quit my job in near future," Anzor said. Katib Gul and Anzor are not alone that have been contributing in rebuilding their country's national economy by remittances. In the war-torn Afghanistan, many more families, possibly thousands are dependent on relatives living abroad. "My brother-in-law sends 400 dollars from Canada each month to help me run my life in Kabul smoothly," a Kabul resident Farid said. Although there is no statistic data about the figure of Afghans working abroad and the remittances sending home, according to Anzor, thousands of Afghans have been working in different cities of UAE and remitting money to their home country. Afghanistan is a war-battered country and it is difficult to find a job with regular income, Anzor maintained while referring to the high rate of unemployment and poverty in his hometown. "I had examined my fortune in Afghanistan in past but failed to find a regular income in my home province Paktia and the capital city Kabul to feed my children properly," Anzor, the father of five, said. Afghanistan has been recovering from over three decades of war aftermath, even though militancy has been continuing. More than nine million people out of the country's some 26 million population, according to Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Mohammad Asif Rahimi, are living under poverty line in the war-ravaged Afghanistan. The grim economic situation, high rate of unemployment and poverty are tangible in each corner of the country as taking a round to Kabul squares in the morning time shows that bulk of daily wagers waiting to be hired. The war-torn Afghanistan is largely relying on agricultural products, and according to Rahimi, 12 percent of Afghan land is arable but less than six percent is currently cultivated.