India evacuates 392, including 2 Afghan lawmakers
Around 590 people have been brought back from Kabul since Monday
NEW DELHI: India on Sunday evacuated 392 people including two Afghan lawmakers in three flights as part of its mission to bring Indians and Afghan partners from Kabul in the backdrop of increasing Taliban hostility and deteriorating security situation in the city after it fell to the militant outfit a week back.
Separately, 146 Indian nationals, who were evacuated from Afghanistan to Doha, are being repatriated to India on Sunday night, the Indian embassy in Qatar said in the evening. In the morning, a total of 168 people, including 107 Indians and 23 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, were flown from Kabul to Hindon airbase near Delhi in a C-17 heavylift military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Another group of 87 Indians and two Nepalese nationals were brought back in a special Air India flight from Dushanbe, a day after they were evacuated to the Tajikistan capital in an IAF 130J transport aircraft, officials said. A total of 135 Indians, who were earlier evacuated from Kabul to Doha in the last few days by the US and NATO aircraft, were flown back from the Qatari capital city to Delhi in a special flight, they said. “Bringing Indians back from Afghanistan. 2nd batch of 146 Indian nationals, who were evacuated from Afghanistan to Doha, being repatriated today to India,” the Indian mission in Qatar tweeted at around 8 PM.
The 168 people evacuated from Kabul included Afghan lawmakers Anarkali Honaryar and Narender Singh Khalsa and their families, people familiar with the evacuation mission said. “India is our second home. Even if we are Afghans and live in that country, people often call us Hindustanis. I thank India for extending its helping hand,” Khalsa told reporters at the Hindon airbase near Delhi. “I feel like crying. Everything is finished. It is a very difficult and painful decision to leave the country. We have not seen such a situation. Everything has been snatched away. It’s all over,” Khalsa said as he broke down when asked about the situation in Afghanistan. With Sunday’s evacuation, the number of people brought back by India from Kabul reached around 590 since last Monday.
“All achievements of the last 20 years in Afghanistan have been lost. Nothing is left. It’s zero now,” said Afghan lawmaker Narender Singh Khalsa soon after his arrival along with 167 others at the Hindon airbase on Sunday as part of India’s evacuation mission from Taliban besieged Kabul.
Khalsa and senator Anarkali Honaryar as well as their families were among those flown out of Kabul in a C-17 heavy-lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) this morning.
The Sikh lawmaker thanked the Indian government for rescuing him, his family and several other members of his community following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul and most parts of Afghanistan.
“India is our second home. Even if we are Afghans and live in that country, people often call us Hindustanis,” the lawmaker said at the airbase near Delhi. Asked about current situation in Afghanistan and how he felt about the latest developments in the country, Khalsa, with tears in his eyes, said all the gains of the past 20 years have been undone.
“I feel like crying. Everything is finished. It is a very difficult and painful decision to leave the country. We have not seen such a situation. Everything has been snatched away. It’s all over,” he said. The Taliban took control of Kabul and almost all major cities and provinces of Afghanistan 20 years after it was ousted by a US-led military coalition following the 9/11 attacks.
Recalling the harrowing experience of the past seven days after the Taliban took control of Kabul, Khalsa said the situation is “very bad” and appealed to the Indian government to rescue the remaining stranded Hindus and Sikhs from the war-torn country.
“Situation is very bad. We had to face a lot of difficulties. Thank God for saving our lives as we had to face harrowing times in the last few days. My expectation from the Indian government is that all those who are still stuck are brought back,” he said.
Khalsa said the temples and gurudwaras in Afghanistan are unharmed and safe so far.