n today's episode of The Farewell Land podcast, our Afghan reporter, Deeba, speaks with Azad, a young Afghan woman who fled Taliban oppression and is now struggling as a refugee in Pakistan. She shares her harrowing journey—leaving behind a home where women’s rights were stripped away, enduring imprisonment and torture, and escaping to seek safety.

Azaada bano speaks of her fight to empower women through her small business in Afghanistan, only to be repeatedly shut down by the Taliban. She recounts the terrifying days she spent in a Taliban prison, witnessing inhumane punishments and fearing for her life. Even after finding refuge in Pakistan, she lives in constant fear of deportation, facing harassment despite holding legal documents.

Her words carry the weight of survival, resilience, and a desperate plea for understanding. She calls on the world—especially the United Nations and Pakistan’s government—to stop treating Afghan refugees like criminals and grant them the right to live with dignity. Join us as we step into Azaada's world and listen to her story of exile, struggle, and unbreakable hope.