Front Burner

Afghanistan's refugee crisis: The view from Pakistan

As food prices rise and the currency falls in Taliban-held Afghanistan, many are fleeing to neighbouring Pakistan in search of a better life. CBC senior correspondent Susan Ormiston takes us there.
These Afghan boys are among the 3,000 people living in a refugee camp in Islamabad, Pakistan. Nicknamed Afghan Village, the camp began in 2009 and is the legacy of waves of refugees who've come to Pakistan from Afghanistan, with new arrivals continuing this week. (Jared Thomas/CBC)

Seventeen-year old Zakirullah, who didn't give his surname, and his family drove for three days from Afghanistan to the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, seeking medical help for his mother.

He is one of many Afghan refugees who have made the journey after the Taliban took control of his home country, in light of rising food prices and the currency falling. He says they are 'in search of a better life'.

Today on Front Burner, CBC senior correspondent Susan Ormiston tells us their stories. She's been reporting from Pakistan for the last few weeks, with an eye on the country's growing role in addressing Afghanistan's refugee crisis.