Pakistan hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world, including approximately 1.4 million Afghan refugees. The civil war that followed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, as well as subsequent conflicts and the American-led invasion, caused many people to seek asylum.

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Their first choice of refuge has often been neighbouring Pakistan, which hosts numerous refugee camps throughout the country. One of these settlements, Afghan Basti, was established in 1979 and consists largely of adobe houses. It has limited access to water, electricity, and basic infrastructure. Living conditions in the camp have not improved sufficiently. Therefore, children are unable to experience their childhood under adequate living conditions. They often play in the streets, surrounded by mud and contaminated water. Yet, they show great interest in foreigners who visit the area and interact with them warmly.

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One of the leaders of the camp, Sana Gul, says that the refugees work collaboratively in many areas, such as building houses and mosques. He also says that income earned from harvests is shared among the refugees. The community has access to three food stores and one butcher shop, while only limited amounts of milk and eggs are available each day. Rice is considered a luxury and is difficult to obtain. Gul also says that it is quite difficult to find a job, especially for young people, since the nearest residential area is approximately 25 km away from the camp.