The issue of sending children aged 7 to 18 from Afghan provinces such as Zabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Badakhshan, and Takhar to schools in Pakistan represents a complex social and security challenge with far-reaching consequences for children, families, and society. In 2016, the organization Dialogue Hub for Common Ground decided to conduct a field-based, scientific investigation into this phenomenon due to its critical importance and direct impact onchildren’s futures and social stability.
One of the primary factors driving families to send their children to Pakistani schools was severe economic hardship. Many families, lacking sufficient income and limited access to quality education within Afghanistan, viewed these schools as opportunities for a better future.
Simultaneously, insufficient awareness of the long-term risks and consequences of this decision exposed families and children to serious vulnerabilities. A particularly significant factor was the presence of Taliban-affiliated individuals in some Afghan schools and their influence among local communities. Coupled with intelligence-driven propaganda campaigns, these activities motivated families to send their children to Pakistani schools. Many children, upon attending these schools or after graduation, were exposed to extremist ideologies and, in some cases, joined the ranks of the Taliban. This illustrates the profound social and security consequences of this phenomenon, extending far beyond education alone and affecting both children and society at large.
It is also important to note that some children were not even formally registered in these schools, highlighting the lack of transparency and oversight in educational processes and the direct exposure of children to informal and ideological instruction. Such circumstances left children vulnerable to harmful and extremist influences without the protection of formal educational frameworks.
Given these conditions, this study, conducted by Dialogue Hub for Common Ground, aimed to provide a comprehensive field analysis of the reasons behind sending children to Pakistani schools, examining economic, social, propaganda, and security factors. The findings of this research can assist policymakers and civil society actors in raising awareness among families, preventing children from being sent to high-risk environments, and contributing to the social and security development of vulnerable regions.
