Pakistan has reportedly arrested Nat Geo’s green-eyed Afghan girl

The authorities in Pakistan have reportedly arrested a famous Afghan girl who gained fame after one of her photographs appeared in National Geographic magazine in 1985.

Local media quoting the Pakistan authorities reported Wednesday that Sharbat Gula was arrested on Tuesday and is in custody for further investigation regarding the alleged forgery in producing the Pakistani identty card.

Gula who is believed to be in her 40s was arrested from her home for forgery of a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), the FIA sources said.

Bibi had Pakistani and Afghan ID cards in her possession, and both ID cards have been recovered from her, the FIA sources said.

Gula has been charged under Section 419, 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of Prohibition of Corruption Act.

She gained global recognition when her photograph was featured on National Geographic Magazine’s cover in 1985 and was linked with Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona.

Gula been residing together with her sons in Nasir Bagh camp established for Afghan refugees since she moved to Peshawar in 1984.

A short documentary was made by the magazine where she was dubbed the ‘Mona Lisa of Afghan war’. Sharbat remained anonymous for years after her first photo made it to the cover until she was rediscovered by National Geographic in 2002.

The documentary was followed by her global recongition when her photograph was featured on National Geographic Magazine’s cover in 1985 and was linked with Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona.

Her story is, tragically, shared by many outside of Afghanistan as well – the most current being the desperate refugees fleeing Syria.