Pak won’t take refugees as more areas fall to Taliban, India calls back staff

Pakistan’s envoy to Kabul, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, called on the international community to help strengthen Afghanistan’s security forces, warning that a worsening situation in the country could trigger a fresh wave of refugees crossing into Pakistan.

The international community raised the alarm on Saturday as Afghan troops rushed to retake the territory seized by Taliban, after the militant group intensified its offensive amid US troop withdrawal.

Former Mujahideen hold weapons to support Afghan forces in their fight against Taliban, on the outskirts of Herat province, Afghanistan July 10, 2021. (REUTERS)

Pakistan’s envoy to Kabul, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, called on the international community to help strengthen Afghanistan’s security forces, warning that a worsening situation in the country could trigger a fresh wave of refugees crossing into Pakistan. “If the situation continues to worsen and deteriorate in Afghanistan... there can be an influx of refugees because of very close cross-border cultural contexts and religious context existing between our two societies,” he said. Pakistan expects 500,000 refugees from Afghanistan, and authorities have said they’ll be kept in border camps.

Beijing, which has criticised Washington for its hasty withdrawal urged its citizens to leave the country “as soon as possible” after evacuating 210 nationals.

Late on Saturday, Indian officials said staff from the country’s consulate in Kandahar were on their way back on board a special Air India flight.

Apart from Kandahar, Indian officials are posted in Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif.