ACTIVITIES OF THE BOKHARANS IN AFGHANISTAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002300590001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 10, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

25X1A9a
Approved For Rro 1
CLASSIFICAnON GCFr,
1%M82-004 JRWRP
INFORMA
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
Af gbaniataan/Pakistan/DssSR
Activities of the Bokharans in Afghanistan
25X1A6a
DATE DISTR.10 +Lebruary 1949
NO. OF PAGES 1
FLVE
ACQUIRED
HATE OF IN
25X1X6
2.
3.
4.
NO. OF ENCLS.
wsTm sVwwi
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
There are over one million Bokharans living in Afghanistan in the north
along the:Russian frontier. There is a colony of about 900 Bokharane in
Peshawar, and a similar colony in Bombay. These Bokharane do not intermarry
with the peop,ee around them, and hence tend to remain a closely knit
group. They feel that they meat regain their independence.
The Bokharans in Afghanistan are quite dissatisfied with their existence
there, and feel that when they fled from Russia, they gained their religious
freedom in exchange for economic slavery. In a population of a million
Bokharans, only seven individuals have been punted external trade permits.
Though the Bokharans introduced the karakul sheep and rug weaving industries
and remain the chief workers in them, they are not allowed to profit from
these industries because of the rigid export controls of the Aftthan government.
The local Bokharans have no voice in the government, and none of their people
bold positions of responsibility.
There is easy communication between the Bokharans of Afghanistan and those
across the Russo-Afghan frontier. The Russians have publicly announced that
all Bokharane resident in Afghanistan may return to Russia without fear of
punishment. During the last year, 86 families of Bokharans resident in
Afghanistan have escaped back to Russia, and four families managed to flee
to Peshawar.
Recently, one of the few wealthy Bokharans in Kabul was accused on the met
flimsy evidence of a murder co-r-dtted some nine years ago. Before he could
be arrested, he took refuge in the Russian Embassy. Four days later, when
he came out of the Rmbasay, he was.apprehended by the Afghan police, but
he produced a Russian passport and nationality papers; as a result, the
police were allowed to release him, and the whole matter was dropped.
Several other Bokharans have recently taken out Russian papers while resident
Kabul.
Document No. _ -
NO CHANGE in Class. {
0 DECLASSIFIED
Class. CHANGED TO: TS
DDA Memo, 4 Apr 77
Auth:
DD~. REG,
77L 1'i 63
Date:
VV11
, L~
By:
Q 7- -r
.
.
STATE NAVY
AfR FBI
ARM1f
Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : C
CONFID
:'IAL/CO;:TROL -- U.S. OFFICIALS O ;LY
TIAL
RDP82-00457R002300590001-5
catriwTIAWCONTROL - 0 S
oFFIC