Fly them out latest kabul attack adds to desperation of those who want to leave afghanistan goi must help

Fly them out latest kabul attack adds to desperation of those who want to leave afghanistan goi must help

Last Saturday’s terror attack on Kabul’s Karte Parwan Gurdwara that killed three people – including an Afghan Sikh – shows again Taliban is not in full control. IS claimed credit for the attack. Ten months after Taliban takeover, the Afghan economy has gone into a tailspin, hunger is acute, women’s rights are disappearing. And attacks like the latest makes many Afghan nationals, as well as a few remaining Indians, desperate to fly out to India.

Following Taliban’s takeover, GoI instituted an e-emergency visa category for Afghan nationals wanting to travel to India. But these visa applications are backed up with only around 200 being cleared till last December. True, GoI yesterday cleared over 100 e-emergency visas for Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, a day after the gurdwara attack. But such selective clearance of visas is poor policy. Indian efforts over the last two decades created considerable goodwill among the Afghan people. Squandering that now will only work to the advantage of Pakistan and China.

Another problem is the lack of flights between India and Afghanistan, making it extremely difficult for those who want to get out. Afghanistan’s airspace was shut for non-defence flights to, from and over the country starting August 16 last year. True, there have been some special evacuation fights like the recent one on June 15. But these are simply not enough. With India now officially engaging Taliban, GoI must clear more flights between the two countries, starting with Afghan carriers. Simultaneously, it must expedite e-emergency and medical visas for Afghan nationals, as well as student visas for Afghan students accepted by Indian universities. This is an easy way for India to retain its strategic interests in Afghanistan.