Taliban reach out to India over resumption of flights, scholarships

NEW DELHI: The Taliban setup in Kabul has been reaching out to the Indian side to explore the continuation of contacts in different fields, ranging from resumption of commercial flights to scholarships for Afghan students, people familiar with matter said on Wednesday.

These contacts have come at a time when the Indian government has indicated it is in no hurry to recognise the interim cabinet created by the Taliban, which is dominated by hardliners and members of the Un-designated Haqqani Network. The people cited above said on condition of anonymity that there had been no formal response to any of the Taliban proposals.

The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority, which is now controlled by the so-called

“Islamic Emirate” of the Taliban, sent a formal communication to India’s DGCA on September 7 regarding resumption of commercial flights between the two countries from Kabul airport.

The letter, addressed to DGCA chief Arun Kumar and signed by “acting minister” Hameedullah Akhunzada, contends that the Kabul airport was “damaged and [made] dysfunctional” by American troops before their withdrawal last month. The airport had been made operational again with aid from Qatar and a NOTAM or “notice to airmen” in this regard had been issued on September 6, the letter adds.

In recent days, Taliban officials such as acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi have reached out to the Indian side through intermediaries to take up issues such as travel by Afghan students who have secured scholarships, they said.