KABUL (Pajhwok): Leaning against a rock at the foot of a hill, grazing his cattle and warbling peace poems, a war-weary herdsman hums: “Let’s stop talking of guns, bullets and destruction of our conflict-torn country.”
On the lush-green slopes of the mountain, the shepherd's song for peace adds to the beauty of the incoming spring season. His song gently mingles with the soft breeze moving across the idyllic setting.
BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): An upcoming folk songster from central Bamyan province, singing peace poems, is optimistic of an end to the ongoing war in the country. She plans composing a special song dedicated to peace.
Nasima Omaid, who is also a theatre artiste, says she has been doing her bit to bring pleasure to her conflict-stricken compatriots through performing arts. The Afghans, she notes, have suffered a lot due to war.
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FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): A 131-year-old man from western Farah province has been fasting for years for the sake of durable peace in the country.
While raised his weak hands, the man prays to Almighty Allah for peace. “Oh God, prolongs my life until I see lasting peace in my homeland.”
Syed Abdul Qadir, who says he is 131 years old, is a resident of the Barinkot village of Pushtrod district.
TIRINKOT (Pajhwok): A 70-year-old woman, who has lost her husband and three sons to the ongoing conflict, hopes for peace.
A resident of central Uruzgan province, she believes the establishment of durable peace would have a positive impact on the lives of her orphaned grandchildren.
Maryam, not her real name, said her husband was killed in the early years of the conflict. Following the deaths of her three sons in recent years, responsibility for looking after four widows and 25 orphans has fallen her shoulders.
KABUL (Pajhwok): Laila was alone in her room, mixing colors to make painting that depict the long wish of her country’s people “peace” and give a message to protect the buds of peace from the danger of war and warmongers.
Laila Salehi, a graduate of literacy, lives with her father, sister, a brother and sister-in-law in Qala-i-Zaman Khan area of capital Kabul.
KABUL (Pajhwok): A businessman whose one son was killed another kidnapped, tortured and freed after payment of ransom money continues to invest in the hope that one day durable peace would be established in the country.
Abdul Jalil Harif, head of the business and construction companies “Harif Limited Services” also serves as deputy head of Kabul Chamber of Commerce.
He is among several other Afghans whose lives were affected by insecurity but they still dream for lasting peace in war-torn Afghanistan.
FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): Twelve years old Ahmad Zia daily takes drinking water on his four donkeys to a security base in western Ghor province to feed 30 people in his family after losing his father and three uncles in the conflict.
A resident of Qatas village near Firozkoh, the provincial, Ahmad Zia supports his mother, grandmother, widowed wives of his three uncles, their children, his own brothers and sisters in a house with mostly primary living tools.
JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Shafiqullah, a 14-year-old boy who lost both his legs to a bomb blast and whose many family members are also disabled, hopes to become a doctor and serve his people with the arrival of peace in the country.
KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Hikmatullah Ihsan, who daily visits the Peace Library in Kandahar City, the capital of southern Kandahar province, says every individual should raise voice for peace so this dream comes true.
The library is established by some civil society activists. Besides studying different books in the library, Ihsan discusses peace related issues with friends and exchange their views.
KABUL (Pajhwok): Drug addicts living under the Pul-i-Sukhta Bridge over Kabul River in the country’s capital hope for peace in their country despite being threatened by gradual death.
Many of these drug addicts with shaggy hairs and torn clothes spend cold days of winter under the bridge.