# The "Afghan Girl" has been arrested **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 30, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206 "2016-10-30T22:49:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/1 "2016-10-30T22:49:37Z")
Back in 1985 the National Geographic magazine had, as it’s cover art, perhaps the most iconic magazine cover photo ever. The photographer never even knew the name of the young girl in the refugee camp, until many years later he found her, older and marked by a hard life. It seems she’s been living in Pakistan with her family, having obtained residence cards that were not legal. Like so many she was trying to get out of the hellhole that is Afghanistan. But the government has been cracking down on such residents and she’s in danger of jail, although another article says she is now out on bail, her status as a sort of celebrity having done her some good. > **[‘Afghan Girl’ in 1985 National Geographic Photo Is Arrested in Pakistan...](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/27/world/asia/afghan-woman-in-famed-national-geographic-photo-is-arrested-in-pakistan.html?_r=0)** > > Sharbat Gula, whose piercing green eyes stared out from the magazine’s cover in 1985, was held after being accused of fraudulently obtaining national identity cards. > **['Afghan Girl': National Geographic star 'should be bailed'](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37818922)** > > National Geographic's iconic Afghan refugee should be bailed, Pakistan's interior minister says. I remember that original picture vividly, as I loved the NG magazine and was a long time collector of it. I hope things turn out okay for the family ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/2 "2016-10-31T06:42:59Z")
She got bail this morning. Unsurprising as refusal of bail in cases like hers are exceptional, usually when the Court fears flight risk, which in this case, lets face it, everyone in authority would be delighted if it occurs. I, being a Pakistani citizen of Afghan descent, think such a crime as hers should be punished severely. Having haunting eyes should not be a ground for mitigation. Fraud and perjury are very serious crimes. In the last 6 months, on three occasions I have received extra scrutiny for being “possibly an illegal”. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/3 "2016-10-31T10:08:08Z")
I still hope she and her family come through this well, but I’m glad you put a perspective on this that I hadn’t thought about. It must be a PITA for someone who’s got legal status to be suspected of being not legal. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/4 "2016-10-31T15:20:34Z")
When Nat Geo did a followup, some 15 years ago (?) she wore a burka (no more visible eyes for the infidels to lust after), and apparently hated America. Just like everyone else in Afghanistan. Having a good picture taken doesn’t make you a hero, or icon. Just a person. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/5 "2016-10-31T16:00:54Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > When Nat Geo did a followup, some 15 years ago (?) she wore a burka (no more visible eyes for the infidels to lust after), and apparently hated America. Just like everyone else in Afghanistan. > > Having a good picture taken doesn’t make you a hero, or icon. Just a person. If you bothered to click on the links you who see the photo from the follow up article. No burka, eyes and face visible. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/6 "2016-10-31T16:05:51Z")
I agree that a picture doesn’t make you a hero but I’m not sure you understand what an icon is. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/7 "2016-10-31T16:55:24Z")
Yes, she was very literally made into an icon. In the literal sense of the literal word. Her picture became famous, while the human being herself was unimportant. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/8 "2016-10-31T17:08:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > If you bothered to click on the links you who see the photo from the follow up article. No burka, eyes and face visible. Here’s the [follow up article](http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2002/04/afghan-girl-revealed/) from 2002. It says she does normally wear a burka (at the time at least), but her husband gave her permission to be photographed without it. Nothing about hating America though. It said she was a devout Muslim, and she wanted her daughters to get an actual education. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/9 "2016-10-31T22:01:14Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It says she does normally wear a burka (at the time at least), but her husband gave her permission to be photographed without it. Thats very liberal of him ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/10 "2016-11-02T08:48:54Z")
She’s been denied bail. [http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/pakistan-denies-bail-to-national-geographics-afghan-girl/ar-AAjJ5kp?li=BBnb7Kz](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/pakistan-denies-bail-to-national-geographics-afghan-girl/ar-AAjJ5kp?li=BBnb7Kz) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-afghan-girl-has-been-arrested/770206/11 "2016-11-02T11:18:00Z")
More accurately her bail was recalled after the State challenged the grant in the High Court.