Javed is an MBA graduate from the Institute of Management Sciences (IMS), Peshawar, Pakistan.
My name is Javed Shuja and I belong to the district of Aryoub Zazai in the province of Paktia, Afghanistan. I was 5 years old when I left my country, Afghanistan, along with my family due to war and insecurity in early 90s.
We came to Pakistan and started living in a refugee camp. It was never easy for us to leave our home and to take shelter in a refugee camp with severe conditions. It got worse when I lost my father in a civil war in Kabul. I started my education in a Pakistani private public school. Now I am an MBA graduate from the 4th ranked best management institution in Pakistan.
This journey is not less than a fairy tale to me. It would not be easy for me without the support of my family and teachers, but I will also give credit to all my Pakistani friends and fellows who were there every time I needed them the most. Today what I am and what I have achieved is all because of them. They never made me feel like I am a foreign national. In fact, they loved and cared for me rather than treat me as their counterpart.
I am still living in Pakistan and never think of it as a foreign country. For me there is no difference between Afghanistan and Pakistan. As former President Hamid Karzai always used to say; Pakistan is just like a second home for all Afghans. I believe it is true. I think I would not have achieved anywhere else what I have achieved here in Pakistan. People on both sides are Muslims and share the same language and culture. They lived together for almost 40 years as brothers and they cannot be separated. As someone said we can change our friends and enemies but cannot change our neighbors. Therefore, we should live together in peace and should not allow any third country to damage our brotherly relations. We should sit together and address each other’s interests. At last I would like to thank all my Pakistani brothers and sisters for their love and support and I will play my role at any platform to bring peace in this region. 
About Afghan Studies Center: The Afghan Studies Center is an initiative by the Center for Research and Security Studies, Islamabad – an independent and non-profit think tank and advocacy center. One of the primary objectives of the Afghan Studies Center is to serve as a bridge between the youth of Pakistan and Afghanistan to interact with each other and join hands to become leaders of change and messengers of peace and cooperation beyond boundaries. To achieve this objective, the Afghan Studies Center invites young Afghans to share their story using our platform with the youth of Pakistan as well as the world.
