Amritsar, October 25
The issue of safe evacuation of stranded Afghan-origin minorities and Indian nationals from Afghanistan has reached the Delhi High Court.
A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed by DSGMC former spokesperson and media adviser Parminder Pal Singh in the Delhi HC, seeking directions for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to issue e-visa and security clearance to 227 Indian/Afghan-national Sikhs and Hindus to ensure their safe evacuation to India.
Out of 216 applications, e-visa had been granted to just eight persons and the fate of remaining 208 applications is still unknown. Of these, seven persons, including four infants, do not possess a valid passport and a requisite passport application could not be filed due to non-operational government offices and thus special e-visa is the only way out for their repatriation.
After the Taliban took reins in Afghanistan, its administration christened as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has allowed the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus to travel out of the country, provided they have valid travel documents, including a visa.
The Indian Government has so far facilitated airlifting of 23 Afghan nationals, belonging to Sikh and Hindu community. India World Forum president Puneet Singh Chandhok, who too aided airlifting of stranded minority community members from Afghanistan, said the lack of political will was hampering the evacuation. He appealed to the DGCA for resumption of flights between the two countries. — TNS
Plea to seek evacuation of Afghan Sikhs, Hindus
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