Experts fear brain drain may drag Afghanistan’s recovery

Following the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, brain drain is posing a serious threat to the restoration of normalcy in the war-torn country and experts fear that the talent drain can affect the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)’s ability to rule.

Thousands of skilled and educated people have left or are leaving the country due to an uncertain future. Many of whom are reportedly qualified professionals from civil servants to lawyers, IT experts and health professionals.

But there are still some who have stayed behind, who say they want to help the IEA rebuild the country.

While many feel they don’t have much of a future in the country, some, including Issa Omid, a professor at a local institution, believes that all is not lost, and that even though he had the opportunity to leave the country, he chose to stay.

“I’m here, and like me there are a lot of people and they are very keen and are very hopeful about their future, and this is our country, and we have to build our country, it is our responsibility,” said Omid, principal of the Star Education Society.

IEA leaders have in turn called on educated Afghans to stay on and help rebuild the country.

“We will take steps so that they are not intimidated. We will create opportunities for those who will return. I once again call upon all the Afghans around the world who are experts in their fields to come back. They should come back to rebuild their homeland with their talent, it is their home,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, a IEA spokesman.

“This is the time I think if the Islamic Emirate wants to stabilize Afghanistan, wants to remove all those problems that make casualties for Afghanistan, they need to bring change to their behavior, and their day-to-day actions. At this time I don’t think we can rule by force, we need to rule in the heart of the people,” said Muhammad Reza Ibrahim, the vice chancellor of Bamiyan University.