Oldest returnee set to stay

Sitting in the window of his antique shop in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Mohammad Ismail is the epitome of contentment. As tiny ringlets of white hair drop from beneath his turbaned head, his weathered face softens as he recalls a long and often turbulent life. But what is particularly remarkable about this man and his recent return from Pakistan where he lived as a refugee - is his age. If true, Ismail would easily be the oldest returnee yet, providing a beacon of hope for millions of Afghans everywhere. "I’m 127 years old," he told IRIN. And I couldn’t be happier to be back." The centenarian and former jewellery designer from the Panjshir Valley says life in Afghanistan is good and will only get better. Surrounded by an extended family of seven children, 31 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren - he is well looked after. Moreover, despite poor hearing and failing eyesight, he remains optimistic about his future - and Afghanistan’s. "I don’t miss Pakistan. This is my country. This is where I belong," he maintained. And while an increasing number of returning Afghans couldn’t agree more, his age - in a country where life expectancy for men is just 47 - continues to baffle those around him. When he passed through the Takhtabaig voluntary repatriation centre (VRC) near the western Pakistani city of Peshawar on 27 March, UNHCR monitors documented his age at 100. Asked to account for this, the ethnic Tajik laughed out loud saying he wished he were that young. "They didn't believe me I guess, but I know how old I am," he explained. In an effort to validate his claim, he recounted details of the Third Anglo-Afghan War or War of Independence on 3 May 1919 at Torkham at the entrance to the Khyber Pass, the introduction of the first car to the country by the son of King Amunullah Khan, as well as the touchdown of the first airplane in Kabul - all of which he said he lived through. As for why he has lived as long as he has, Ismail says he eats lots of fruit and aside from sleeping up to 12 hours a day, tries to remain active. "I hope to some day to go to Mecca and perhaps remarry." But what bothers him most these days is the fact that people continually confuse him with his oldest son who is 75. "I suppose we do look alike," he admits. Whatever his real age, Ismail could easily qualify as one of the many antiques he now sells in his shop - a notion even he can’t deny. His age, stamina, optimism and strong sense of national pride, however, make him an ideal role model for potential returnees living abroad. According to UNHCR in Kabul, almost 1.8 million Afghans like Ismail, comprised of over 300,000 families, have returned to their homeland since the start of the agency’s joint voluntary repatriation programme in March - the vast majority from Pakistan. Additionally, hundreds of thousands more are estimated to have returned spontaneously or unassisted to the war-torn country. The effort is the largest single refugee repatriation in 30 years.