Teenage musicians Yasemin, Zakia, Shukriya, and seven-year-old Uzra fled Afghanistan to escape the Taliban’s restrictions on women. Now in Pakistan, their future remains uncertain due to shifting immigration policies.
Musicians strumming in exile
On a bright February afternoon in Islamabad, four young Afghan musicians gather in a small bedroom, filling the air with the sound of strumming guitars. Yasemin (18), Zakia (16), Shukriya (14), and Uzra (7) have made this house their sanctuary after fleeing Afghanistan with their families when the Taliban regained control in August 2021.
Yasemin and Uzra are sisters, as are Zakia and Shukriya. The girls spend hours each day practising and jamming together, guided by their passion for music. Their mentor, American rock musician Lanny Cordola, first introduced them to the guitar at the Miraculous Love Kids school in Kabul, where they also learned English alongside their musical training.
However, their lives changed overnight when the Taliban returned to power. Fearful of leaving their homes due to new restrictions on women, the young musicians saw their dreams put at risk. Cordola, who had left Kabul for Islamabad on the day of the takeover, began working to help his students and their families escape. After months of fundraising and negotiations, he managed to get seven students out of Afghanistan and into Pakistan in April 2022.
Three of the girls have since relocated to the United States. Yasemin, Zakia, Shukriya, and Uzra were scheduled to fly out on 5th February. However, a sudden change in US policy halted their plans.
A policy shift that changed everything
Donald Trump’s return to office brought immediate changes to US immigration policies. His administration issued an executive order suspending refugee programmes for 90 days, effectively freezing the musicians’ relocation plans. “It felt like we had everything in place,” Cordola says. “Medical tests, screenings, interviews—it was all done.” Now, everything is on hold indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has announced its own plans to deport Afghan nationals, even those with proper documentation. Those awaiting resettlement to Western countries, like the four musicians and their families, must leave by 1st April or risk deportation to Afghanistan.
Life in Islamabad: Finding joy in music
Despite the uncertainty, the musicians continue to practise diligently. Yasemin, the lead guitarist, admires blues legend B.B. King and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. Zakia prefers Coldplay’s Chris Martin, while Shukriya enjoys BTS’s RM. Uzra, the youngest, remains focused whenever she plays, despite her playful nature.
When not practising, the girls visit Islamabad’s parks, where they enjoy simple pleasures—Zakia loves pani puri and biryani, while Yasemin prefers dal chawal. However, music remains their greatest source of joy. Their passion even caught the attention of Grammy-nominated artist Sia, who praised their rendition of her song Unstoppable in a personal video message.
A Journey from selling sweets to becoming musicians
Before joining Miraculous Love Kids, Yasemin sold candy in a park while her father washed cars nearby. Cordola convinced her family to let her attend music school, providing a stipend to support her studies. Zakia and Shukriya’s father, who once sold sunflower seeds, also allowed them to join after seeing the opportunity it provided.
However, when the Taliban returned, the musicians had to hide their guitars. Zakia’s father even broke hers out of fear. “That night was very hard for me. I cried a lot,” she says. Now, in Pakistan, the girls play freely again, but for how long remains uncertain.
The risk of returning to Afghanistan
Pakistan has deported over 840,000 Afghan refugees since September 2023. Many others await resettlement, but Trump’s policies have stalled the process for thousands, including these young musicians. If forced to return to Afghanistan, they will likely lose their chance to pursue music. “Their lives have been on hold for four years,” says Saeed Husain from the Joint Action Committee for Refugees. “Sending them back is essentially a death sentence.”
Cordola continues to reach out to international contacts, hoping for intervention. He has even written an open letter to Trump, warning that deportation could put the musicians in grave danger. “They want to contribute, not take. They’re ready to be part of the American dream,” he says.
If the US remains closed to them, other options may emerge. A leading advocate for Afghan musicians has suggested relocating them to Belfast, a UNESCO City of Music.
A hopeful future
More than anything, the musicians want to stay together. “When we’re all in the same place with Mr Lanny, we’ll do something great,” Yasemin says. Their mother, Fauzia, remains hopeful that a Western country will grant them sanctuary soon. Until then, they cling to their music, their guitars, and their dreams.
“Whenever I’m sad, I pick up my guitar and forget everything,” Yasemin says. “It has changed my life.”
