Former Afghan Spokesman, Now a Dasher, Asks: Why Did the World Turn Its Back on Afghanistan After 20 Years?

Former Afghan Spokesman, Now a Dasher, Asks: Why Did the World Turn Its Back on Afghanistan After 20 Years?

 7 August, 2024 

On a sunny day in Mississauga, Canada, Esmatullah Morady tirelessly drives for hours as a Dasher, earning around $2,600 monthly to cover his bills and support his wife and children left behind in Afghanistan. Thousands of miles away from Kunduz, in Northeast Afghanistan, where he once served as the provincial governor’s spokesman, his thoughts frequently drift back to his homeland.

“My dedicated efforts were aimed at securing the future and stability of my country,” said Morady, recalling his days in an extremely dangerous province in the Northeast of Afghanistan.

Speaking via WhatsApp from his modest single room in Canada, Morady reflected on the stark contrast between his current life and his past in Afghanistan, a country plagued by proxy wars for nearly four decades.

“Why did the world turn its back on Afghanistan after 20 years?” he wondered aloud. The horrific conflict claimed countless Afghan lives and those of foreigners, with billions spent to sustain democracy.

Now, he feels ashamed that under the current rulers, girls are banned from attending school beyond sixth grade, and restrictions on the free press are tightening.

Morady’s journey from a key government position to a gig economy worker in Canada Accentuates, the individual impact of Afghanistan’s ongoing unrest. As he navigates his new life, his heart remains tied to the country he once served with hopes.

Esmatullah Morady studied journalism at Khost Sheikh Zayed University in Khost province, graduating in 2011, and worked for the known ToloNews TV channel before becoming a spokesman in Kunduz province. “Once I left my homeland about two years ago, I told myself I buried my journalistic career, too,” he said.

Morady described the emotional individuals of leaving behind a career he had built over the years. Upon arriving in Canada, he struggled to find a job for 7 months. “In Canada, you can find organizations that help newcomers, but the only thing they do is make a resume, nothing else,” he said.

Morady, like many newcomers, faced numerous challenges in securing employment. Despite having a good command of English and solid educational credentials, he found that his qualifications were not recognized in Canada. Recruiters would often tell him, “No Canadian work experience, no job.”

Many refugees and newcomers are hesitant to share their stories with mainstream media, fearing the repercussions, especially as their asylum cases are still underway and they are unsure about raising other life problems. “Newcomers are trapped ‘between a rock and a hard place;’ there is no U-turn point,” Morady said.

Morady’s Rollercoaster Journey as a DoorDash Driver in Canada

On June 30th, I received an order from a restaurant in Mississauga. Upon arriving at the location, I was contacted by the customer via the DoorDash app. I informed them that their food was ready for pickup. The customer responded by mentioning that the order was just a cookie and revealed that they were a member of the DoorDash support team.

The unknown customer told me I could keep the cookie as a bonus and a gift for Canada Day (July 1st marked as Canada Day) and he asked for my email and phone number to send me a $100 bonus. “Despite my surprise, I provided the information,” Morady  added.

An hour later, I called DoorDash to report the incident. I was informed that DoorDash does not offer additional payments to drivers, and my account was in good standing. I was advised to be cautious with such requests in the future.

Rae Baker, a senior open source intelligence analyst and author of Deep Dive, highlights the importance of scam awareness: “Training programs could be developed that are tailored to the unique needs and languages of newcomers. This could focus on tips for online safety, recognizing scams, and protecting personal information.”

The next day, July 1st, I worked late into the night, finishing around 3 am. When I got home and attempted to rest, I received an email from DoorDash inquiring if I had recently added an email and phone number to my account. I confirmed that I had not and promptly contacted DoorDash. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that my DoorDash account had been closed, and I had lost $X amount.

I reached out to DoorDash via email regarding the issue, and their response was as follows:

Based on the information you provided, it appears you were the victim of an account takeover scam. To clarify, “these incidents are classified as scams rather than cybersecurity breaches. The integrity and security of our platform remain intact. To help prevent such incidents, we regularly inform Dashers on how to recognize and avoid scams, including the critical advice never to share passwords or sensitive information with anyone.”

“It is profoundly disheartening to lose money earned through hard work in the sweltering heat of June and July,” Morady said.

Rae Baker suggests proactive measures for companies: “Companies like DoorDash could implement scam detection tools and enhanced order verification that flags specific orders or customers based on suspicious patterns of behavior.”

The DoorDash team assured him that their investigation unit would resolve the issue, promising to return the stolen funds and reopen his account within 72 hours. However, a week has passed without any resolution. His calls are frequently ignored, and the automated emails he receives repeat the same questions he has already answered.

“It seemed that I was assured of recovering my lost funds, but I am deeply frustrated with the situation,” Morady said.

Rae Baker also stresses the importance of effective reporting systems and continuous scam awareness: “Additionally, they could provide training and scam awareness campaigns where notifications in their app could be used to alert drivers about new scams. Finally, they could encourage security vigilance and awareness, especially for those who may speak different languages, and reduce risk with effective reporting systems.”

The lack of adequate response and accountability from the organization has been troubling. Despite reaching out to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, I received an email stating: “The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) does not provide information related to individuals or individual complaints.”