After last evacuation on Thursday, Indian flights to Afghanistan will be suspended as “regular travel to Kabul can risk the life of passengers and crew”. A source told News18 that the decision comes amid memories of 1999 Kandahar hijack that still haunts India.
“The decision is not final but flights will have serious threats. We will wait for International community’s actions to make the final decision. In case we get assurance from Afghanistan, we may continue to allow to travel. But, again, we are not confident about Pakistan and its move in connection with Taliban,” top sources told News18.
A source added that there is also a possibility of sending flights to neighbouring countries, where “people can come and we can bring those who have valid visa”.
India has got the permission to run two flights everyday to bring back its citizens from stranded in Afghanistan. The permission has been granted by the American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces, which are in control of the operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul after the city fell to Taliban forces.
Two Indian aircraft have been permitted to operate from the Kabul airport which currently is under the control of American security forces, news agency ANI quoted government sources as saying. They are operating 25 flight from the airport as of now with focus on evacuating their citizens, equipment and arsenal, they added.
A day ago, India cancelled all previously issued visas to Afghan nationals who are presently not in the country and has asked them to travel to India only on an electronic visa (e-Visa).
“Owing to the prevailing security situation in Afghanistan and streamlining of the visa process by introduction of the e-Emergency X-Misc visa, it has been decided that all Afghan nationals henceforth must travel to India only on e-Visa,” a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.
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