"We don't trust Pakistan's intentions. Neither do we rely on China and Saudia Arabia. India has been our friend for the longest time, and only Prime Minister Narendra Modi can help us now," Zahir Khan, an Afghanistan-origin businessman in Kolkata's Mullick Bazar told media. The Taliban took control of his country on Sunday. Like other Afghan people, who have been dwelling in Kolkata for years after his father relocated to India about 25 years ago, too are deeply disheartened by the circumstances in Afghanistan.

"I will accept anything in this county, even going to prison, but I won't go to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan," said Zahir Khan, a second-generation Afghan. Kolkata is home to several Afghans, more popularly known as 'Kabuliwalas', which translates to "men from Kabul". They are also known as the 'Khans' here. They came to the city around the 1840s and since then, they became a part of Kolkata's rich history. Several Afghans have shops in Kolkata's Zakaria street. When the media visited their shops, some of them looked tensed and refused to comment on the recent developments in Kabul. Rabindra Nath Tagore's short story titled 'Kabuliwala' in 1892 made them an essential part of Kolkata's ethos. They started off as money-lenders and dry fruit sellers in the city, but many of them now have tailoring or clothes shops.

Even as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and China promised assistance to the Taliban, the Afghans are not ready to trust them. "You ask any Afghan their thoughts on Pakistan, they will say they want nothing with that country. Imran Khan said we were slaves, but actually, they are slaves of others. We want nothing from them, they are our number one enemy and with them, we want the situation the get better," said Ibrahim Khan, who lives in Park Circus with his family.

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