News Analysis India

Tag: Talibans

  • Afghanistan crisis: India to provide refuge to Sikh, Hindus; Jaishankar meets Guterres

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday directed officials to ensure safe evacuation of all Indian citizens from Afghanistan and to provide refuge to Sikhs and Hindus wanting to come to India from there, as he chaired a crucial high-level meeting in the backdrop of the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country, sources said.

    Chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, Modi also said India must provide all possible help to its Afghan brothers and sisters who are looking towards India for assistance, official sources said.

    Modi directed officials concerned to undertake all necessary measures to ensure safe evacuation of Indian nationals from Afghanistan in the coming days.

    The Cabinet Committee on Security is the apex government body that deals with the issues of national security.

    Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the meeting, besides senior officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and India’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon.

    Tandon was on the evacuation flight from Kabul that landed in Jamnagar earlier on Tuesday.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar could not attend the meeting as he is not in the country.

    According to sources, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) was briefed in detail on the current and evolving security and political situation in Afghanistan.

    The CCS was also briefed on the recent evacuations of Indian Embassy officials and some members of the Indian community, as well as some members of Indian media.

    India has brought back the Indian ambassador Tandon and all staff members from its embassy in Kabul in two military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension and deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital after its takeover by the Taliban.

    A military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force brought back from Kabul around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians on Tuesday.

    Another flight had evacuated around 40 staffers from Kabul on Monday.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the MEA said that the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan.

    Soon after the second military aircraft landed in Hindon completing a two-phase evacuation mission, Jaishankar, who is in New York on a four-day visit, said the evacuation of the Indian embassy staff from Kabul was a “difficult and complicated” exercise.

    While Jaishankar spoke to his American counterpart Antony Blinken, NSA Doval had a conversation with President Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday evening on the evacuation of the Indian staff, people familiar with the matter said.

    In a tweet, Jaishankar said he thanked his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian for evacuating 21 Indian nationals from Kabul to Paris.

    Sources said that both Jaishankar and Doval were involved in ensuring the smooth evacuation of around 190 Indian diplomats, officials and security personnel from the embassy in Kabul.

    Meanwhile,  External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres here and discussed the situation in war-torn Afghanistan.

    “Good to meet UN Secretary General @antonioguterres. Our discussions focused on Afghanistan, following upon the Security Council meeting yesterday,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

    Jaishankar arrived in New York on Monday as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, the second time in just over 10 days that the powerful UN body met under India’s Presidency for the month of August to discuss the rapidly deteriorating and unraveling situation in the war-torn country.

    “Significant UN Security Council discussions today on developments in Afghanistan. Expressed the concerns of the international community. Expect to discuss these during my engagements at the UN,” Jaishankar had tweeted on Monday.

    He also discussed the “latest developments” in Afghanistan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and “underlined the urgency of restoring airport operations in Kabul. Deeply appreciate the American efforts underway in this regard.”

    State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Blinken spoke with Jaishankar “today about Afghanistan and the developing situation there.”

    Jaishankar will chair two high-level signature events this week under India’s current Security Council Presidency and has said he expects to discuss the situation in Afghanistan during his engagements at the United Nations.

    As India assumed the Presidency of the 15-nation Council for the month of August, it had outlined maritime security, counter-terrorism and peacekeeping as the focus areas.

    Jaishankar will chair an open debate on August 18 on technology and peacekeeping under the overarching theme of ‘Protecting the Protectors’.

    India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in a tweet that Jaishankar will participate in a ceremony at the UN Peacekeeping memorial in the UN headquarters along with Guterres.

    Jaishankar will also chair a high-level event on August 19 on counter-terrorism during which the Council will discuss the Secretary General’s six-monthly report on the threat posed by ISIL/Da’esh, under the agenda item ‘Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts’.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired the virtual high-level open debate on maritime security that was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Blinken.

  • In touch with Sikhs taking shelter in gurudwara near Kabul, they’ll be brought to India soon: Puri

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the Indian authorities are in touch with a group of Sikhs taking shelter in a gurudwara near Kabul in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the country, and that they will be brought to India as soon as possible.

    Puri who was approached by BJP MP Hans Raj Hans for help to the Sikhs also discussed the issue with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

    “We have been in touch with the Sikh leaders and those in Afghanistan. They will be brought back safely as soon as possible,” Puri told PTI.

    Hans who hails from Punjab said that around 250 Sikhs of Indian origin are taking shelter in the gurudwara near Kabul and they are safe.

    “I met the Union minister Hardeep Puri Ji and requested for his help after which he talked to the external affairs minister and assured that the Indian origin Sikhs in Afghanistan will return to India after civilian flights restart,” Hans told PTI.

    The Indian authorities are in touch with them and ensuring their safety and safe return, added the North West Delhi MP.

  • For Afghan nationals in India, home is where there is no Taliban

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The takeover of Kabul and other regions of Afghanistan by the Taliban has unleashed a wave of panic among Afghan nationals residing in India, who fear for the safety of their friends and families back home.

    Scared and heartbroken at the state of affairs in their homeland, students, working personnel and even unemployed Afghan nationals turned up at the Afghanistan embassy here on Tuesday to find out ways to ensure that they do not have to return to their country of birth.

    Mohammad Jawid was one of them.

    The 26-year-old first arrived in India six years ago with an aim of getting education that he hoped would help him bring about positive changes back in his country.

    Now, however, he hopes he never has to return home.

    “I had a dream of working for Afghanistan’s development after completing my education here, but now my future is uncertain as I think that Taliban do not need educated people like me,” he said.

    Currently residing in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar area, Jawid pursued his BBA from Bengaluru, and is currently enrolled in an MBA programme at the Dayanand University here.

    He said that he was at the embassy to apply for a visa extension that expired on August 5.

    “I think that I will have to go back after completing my MBA, if I don’t get a visa. Everyone is disappointed due to what is happening in Afghanistan. Everything is uncertain,” he said.

    His visa, however, is not the only thing on his mind.

    His family – parents and seven siblings are all back home in Kabul that was seized by the Taliban on Sunday.

    Recalling his last call with his sister a few days ago, an anxious Jawid said, “The situation back home is very terrifying. I spoke to one of my sisters who is in class 12 and she said it felt like they were living in a prison.”

    “She said that all her hard work would go to waste if she’s not able to complete her education and pursue her dreams.”

    And, the worries have only been mounting.

    “Even if my family manages to leave Afghanistan, where will they go? Which country will accept them? Is there any place better than one’s own home? But, unfortunately, right now the priority is to stay alive. I just don’t know what to do,” Jawid said.

    Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday for an unknown destination, paving way for a bloodless takeover of the capital city but triggering fear, chaos and uncertainty among its residents.

    Also, facing the threat of deportation from India like Jawid is Khairullah Noori, who has been living in Ahmedabad with his family since 2018.

    The 25-year-old was at the embassy to renew his passport, and subsequently his visa that will lapse on August 29.

    “The validity of my passport has expired and I had an appointment to get a new one. We do not want to go back to Afghanistan. Our relatives are in Kabul, and they are extremely afraid due to the ongoing situation,” he said.

    Noori is currently pursuing a degree in BBA from Gujarat University.

    While his father does make a living from his job at a shoe factory in Ahmedabad, Noori largely has to depend on financial aid from his relatives in Canada for his education.

    The Taliban have been reported to have assured to do things differently this time around, including promising peace and inclusivity, but Noori, like most of his fellow Afghans back home, has little faith in the words of the Islamist fundamentalist group that wreaked havoc on the nation during their previous regime from 1996 to 2001.

    “Taliban has issues with us. They have their own rules. They are promising something now, but we know that they will impose their rules. They won’t let women come out of their homes,” he said.

    For Abdul Fatah and Hamid Azimi, both in their late thirties, a life of poverty in a foreign land, seems a better alternative to living like a captive in one’s own country.

    Fatah has been living in the East of Kailash here for over four years now with his family of four.

    Income has been irregular, but going back to Afghanistan is not even a consideration.

    “We do not have a regular income. Sometimes I manage to make some money by helping out other Afghans in Delhi who have language issues.”

    “But, we definitely don’t want to go back. People there cannot make decisions by themselves. They must follow the Taliban’s decision,” Fatah said.

    Azimi, who has been living in Tilak Nagar with his family since 2017, agreed, and added that they have been looking at employment opportunities in Turkey due to their deteriorating financial condition here.

    He was at the embassy to explore options for a Turkish visa, he said.

    Elaborating on the present circumstances in Afghanistan, 32-year-old Mohammad who is on a visit to India on a pre-existing appointment at the embassy preceding the Taliban takeover, said the situation in his country was only going to get worse.

    “Everything is banned, banks are closed and you cannot withdraw a single penny. My sister who is a cancer patient needs money for her treatment, but she can no longer access the bank, and unfortunately, her husband is currently out of the country.”

    “Her daughter who was a student at the Kabul university had to be escorted by male members of the family to ensure her safe return,” Mohammad said.

    In wake of the situation in Afghanistan, the security has been increased at the Afghan embassy, with Delhi Police personnel, along with paramilitary staff guarding the premises.

  • Afghanistan crisis: India attends key regional meet as MEA hits at engaging with Talibans

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: India on Thursday joined a regional conclave hosted by Qatar to discuss ways to contain the escalating situation in Afghanistan in the backdrop of the Taliban’s continued offensive across the country.

    J P Singh, the Joint Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), represented India at the meeting, officials said.

    MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said several important stakeholders in Afghanistan attended the meeting.

    Responding to a question on whether discussions were on with the Taliban, He also said New Delhi was in touch with everybody concerned.

    “The situation in Afghanistan is of concern. It is a rapidly evolving situation. We continue to hope that there will be a comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan,” he said.

    “We are in touch with all stakeholders, different stakeholders. I would not like to add anything further,” he said.

    Bagchi’s comments came on a day when India was participating in the regional dialogue on Afghanistan in Doha after being snubbed for the ‘extended troika’ meeting.

    The invitation for the meeting to India was extended by Qatari special envoy for conflict resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani during his visit to the national capital last week, Bagchi said.

    Al-Qahtani, the Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister of Qatar for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution, visited India ostensibly to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan.

    He met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Singh.

    “We are committed to the long-term development of Afghanistan. We would like to see a peaceful and democratic Afghanistan,” Bagchi said at a media briefing.

    Qatar’s capital Doha has been the venue for the intra-Afghan peace talks and the Gulf country has emerged as a crucial player in facilitating the Afghan peace process.

    According to the MEA spokesperson, Joint Secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) JP Singh is attending the meeting in Doha.

    India was invited to the regional dialogue by Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, Qatar’s special envoy for counter-terrorism and conflict resolution, during his India visit last week.

    The comments also came on a day when the Taliban captured a 10th provincial capital in Afghanistan in a week.

    On Thursday, Ghazni, located only 150 kilometres away from Kabul, fell to the militant group. US intelligence reports have suggested that the Taliban could capture Kabul within 90 days.

    Meanwhile, New Delhi also said it hoped that an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire would be put in place and urged all Indians to return as soon as possible while adding that a formal evacuation mechanism is not in place.

    On protecting the interests of minorities in Afghanistan, Bagchi said India is in touch with Hindus and Sikhs.

    India brought back about 50 officials and citizens from and around Mazar-e-Sharif amid fighting near the capital of the Balkh province on Wednesday.

    “Our Consulate there continues to be operational with locally recruited staff,” Bagchi said.

    Asked about Pakistan’s continued support to the Taliban, Bagchi said the international community is well aware of that country’s role.

    The Taliban has been making rapid advances across Afghanistan by resorting to widespread violence since the United States began withdrawing its troops from the country on May 1.

    The US has already pulled back the majority of its forces and is looking to complete the drawdown by August 31.

    India has been engaged with a number of stakeholders and leading powers on the latest developments in Afghanistan.

    It has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process that is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

    India has also been calling upon all sections of the political spectrum in Afghanistan to work together to meet the aspirations of all people in the country, including those from the minority communities, for a prosperous and safe future.

    Imran critical of Washington role

    Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Thursday said the US finds Islamabad useful only for clearing its mess in Afghanistan and gives preference to India while forming partnerships.

    He added Washington is treating India differently for own interests.

    (With PTI Inputs)