Meet Zubair
“I haven’t heard anyone calling any Afghan, a refugee. They are calling us guests. So this is all of what you need after trauma or after tragedy.”
— Zubair Babakarkhail, after arriving at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin
Zubair Babakarkhail is a journalist and interpreter, as well as a father, husband, and friend to many.
This is his second time fleeing his homeland.
His family migrated from Afghanistan to Pakistan during the Russian invasion (1979-89). There, he earned a degree in journalism.
He repatriated to Afghanistan in 2002, where he became a longtime contributor to Stars and Stripes, a military-run newspaper operated by the Department of Defense. He’s helped dozens of Americans reporting on the war in Afghanistan since he started covering the conflict 17 years ago.
Zubair and his family arriving in the U.S. in August 2021.
Zubair also has reported for The Daily Telegraph, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, Al Jazeera English, and AsiaCalling. He got his start with Pajhwok Afghan News, where he worked from 2004 until 2009.
In August 2021, Zubair, his wife Fatima and their three children had to escape Afghanistan along with thousands of people who were desperately trying to leave their homeland amid the Taliban takeover.
After several failed attempts, they were able to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport, less than two days before a bombing there would kill U.S. service members and civilians.
Zubair and his family were forced to leave their worldly possessions, save for what they could carry in small bags. Meanwhile in the United States, Team Zubair was working to get resources together and help the family escape.
“About the last two weeks: Right now, I feel very strong. I feel that I was not alone.”
— Zubair Babakarkhail, wrote in Postindustrial Media, after arriving in the U.S.
Postindustrial Media told Zubair’s story anonymously with the hope of helping the family get out safely and protect their identity before landing on U.S. soil.
By that September, they’d arrived in the U.S. and were temporarily housed at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.
As he wrote for Postindustrial on Sept. 2, 2021, the family finally felt “totally free.”
Zubair chose to settle in Pittsburgh, where he’s now supporting others who fled their homelands after facing war and oppression.
He’s also helping to pair families with donors who can help them rebuild their lives in the U.S.
And he’s documented what it’s like to be in a new country, and uncertainty over what could come next.