Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: Five months after the collapse of the government in Afghanistan and eventually takeover by the Taliban forces, the Afghanistan Ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay who was only posted to India last year claimed that women’s security has jeopardised in the last few months.
He said that as of now Afghanistan has not become a terror state, but in the absence of reasonable and responsible government, the country would eventually become a terror state.
Talking with his newspaper on his visit to Punjab, Farid Mamundzay says, “The present situation in Afghanistan is quite dire after the takeover by Taliban. The country is facing humanitarian crises as more than half the population are facing food shortages.”
He said, “We have run out of required medical supplies. There is a constitutional crisis in the form of no functioning government no presence of Parliament and no presence of effective judiciary. So the political system is largely collapsed. The economy is on free fall, so Afghanistan is faced with difficult situation and socially we see are departure of half a million people from Afghanistan, quarter of million people went to west to US and Europe and quarter of million to Iran and Pakistan. To Indian, some 200 of them have come so far. As India has restricted its visa policy and it is difficult for Afghan nationals to get Indian visas. I hope that in future the policy will be changed and more afghans can come to India.”
“It is premature to judge that Afghanistan has become a terror state, but it will be fair to say that in the absence of reasonable and responsible government, Afghanistan would eventually become a terror state. Our hopes are that the Taliban would agree to form an inclusive government a government that is fair and transparent and accountable to its people. Where balances and checks will be made to deny international and regional terrorist groups breeding ground to threaten the security of any country including India. We hope immediate steps will be taken,’’ he added.
Mamundzay says, “The Muslim community, in particular, is the largest victim of terror, the number of attacks taking place on mosques are many. Two months ago two large mosques were targeted and worshippers were brutally killed. The terror has spared no one Hindus, Sikhs, Christians were also targeted as we have seen attacks on religious places.’’
He said the women’s right to jobs, movement and education have been restricted not only their physical security but their economic security has been jeopardised.
He added that over 2,500 Afghanistan students who were studying in India are stuck in Afghanistan as their visas have been revoked and cannot come back and continue their education.
He said, “The US has declared Afghanistan crises as major humanitarian crises. The UN has launched an appeal for 4.5 billion dollars for this year alone to be given to UN agencies, so they can deliver these services needed by the local population. The Taliban government is not a recognized government so they cannot receive intentional assistance. That gap needed to be filled by intentional support through UN agencies. The World Food Program delivers 77 trucks of wheat grain in 24 hours to 34 provinces. Efforts are made that afghans get all the supplies including winter clothes.’’
“As we requested the Indian Government for help, India has provided us half a million covid vaccines two weeks ago and another half a million to be given to coming weeks. India has provided us with six metric tonnes of life-saving medicines. Also, India has agreed to provide us 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat,’’ he concluded.
