India on Thursday made it clear that ensuring evacuation of citizens willing to leave Afghanistan is its top priority but there has been no development on that front as the Kabul Airport is currently not operational.
“We have been prioritising evacuation. Currently, Kabul Airport is not functional. We can revisit this question when the airport is functional,” said Arindam Bagchi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson.
The Taliban triumphantly marched into Kabul’s international airport on Tuesday, hours after the final US troop withdrawal. In a show of control, turbaned Taliban leaders were flanked by the insurgents elite Badri unit as they walked across the tarmac. The commandos in camouflage uniforms proudly posed for photos.
The extremist organisation has escalated efforts to form a new government in the country – reportedly designing a government based on Iran’s model – an Islamic republic where the Supreme Leader is the head of state and the highest-ranking political and religious authority even above the president.
Indian envoy to Qatar Deepak Mittal met Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai on Tuesday in Doha, the first high-level contact between the two sides, leading to speculations if India still identifies the Taliban as a terrorist organisation or not.
When asked Bagchi, he said, “Our focus is not that (whether Taliban is a terror group or not), our focus is on Afghanistan not being used for terror.” Asked if India has govt a formal invitation from the Taliban on government formation, he said there has been “no update” on the issue.
Will the visas of Indians currently in Afghanistan be extended? “Those who are here, some people’s visas automatically extended. There are no flights anyway,” the MEA spokesperson said.
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