In response to media queries regarding the situation in Afghanistan, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said:
"We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan. There are also a number of Afghans who have been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational and people to people endeavours".
"We will stand by them," he said.
"The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak," he said adding, the Government of India has been closely monitoring all developments in Afghanistan.
"We have been issuing periodic advisories for the safety and security of Indian nationals in that country, including calling for their immediate return to India.
We had circulated emergency contact numbers and had also been extending assistance to community members,".
We are aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return and we are in touch with them.
Relevance of Buddha
MEA spokesman said: "We are in constant touch with the representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities.
Commercial operations from Kabul airport have been suspended today. This has forced a pause in our repatriation efforts. We are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the process."
He asserted, the situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels. "The Government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan".
‘Taliban takeover’: But China, Pak could also have harrowing times
"The US sought to subdue the country overwhelmingly by force. It offered precious little else. There was no serious attempt to foster economic growth in a desperately poor country. China's approach, in contrast, will be completely different. There will be no military involvement. The PLA will have no role." - Global Times
New Delhi:
The big issue for both Beijing and Islamabad will be to ensure that the radical groups do not get ‘inside depth’ either in rural China or rural Pakistan.
As the Taliban advanced into Kabul on Sunday, Aug 15, most countries were surprised. A few in the region perhaps had moments of joy as Uncle Sam was left leaking wounds like the proverbial tiger.
However, both China and Pakistan–so far well-known friends of the Taliban could also land into trouble because the nature of religious fanaticism mixed with the barrel of the gun is such.
This is generally understood as the ‘Talibanisation’ of mindset. Another fact that is not understood in India is that an overwhelming section of poor and rural people endorse Islamic radicalism in Pakistan.
Those in the knowledge of things in Delhi say that much before the Taliban had attained success and the speed with which they ejected Ashraf Ghani dispensation, Tehrik-i-Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) has started flexing muscles.
In Karachi, for instance, the infamous funds drive had started yet again–this was something that was stopped or put at a halt during the last few years.
It is well known that Pakistan has turned into a real-time sanctuary for the Afghan Taliban, and the organisation’s Central Council had also shifted its base to Pakistan.
“Pakistani Taliban has also targeted the Chinese in the recent past, forcing Beijing to raise eyebrows. Moreover, another reason for concern for the Xi Jinping regime is that the Pakistani Taliban has had ‘relations’ with Uyghurs in China for many decades.
The greatest concentration of Muslims in China is in Xinjiang, with a significant Uyghur population. This region is also known as East Turkestan. Western experts say China falsely claims East Turkestan as part of China.”
It is important to note that the fact Pakistani establishment supports Afghan Taliban is well known. A big-time challenge is that a large section of Pakistani commoners or civil societies supports the Taliban–both the Afghan group and their TTP.
Another source who has handled Jihadi militancy in the region says if one radical group rises and starts making its presence felt, even certain ‘latent’ groups would be encouraged to try their luck as well.
Taking some of these aspects into consideration, Elizabeth Threlkeld of Simson Centre in Washington says, “Pakistan is really in a bind”.
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For the time being, of course, Taliban actions on the battlefield have been pretty fast and smooth, but there will be ‘spill over violence’ after a while.
“They will also have to cope with the challenge of influx of refugees. This will be inevitable,” a source said.
The problem with allowing too much of 'power-politics game' involving religion is that contests will now be between various schools of religion (read Islam).
“Whose religion should prevail will be another question,” the man in the know of things said.
“In the 1960s, Pakistan faced a situation wherein 26 Ulemmas claimed that their respective version(s) of Islam–and ‘who is a Muslim’ - ought to be respected and accepted by others. So, here too, violence could set in. Various Sufi groups have also been attacked in Pakistan, so are other groups, like Bohras and Ismailis. Now, ‘radicalisation’ would be only creeping in at a faster pace from Afghanistan.”
For its part, the Afghan government, even a fortnight back, has attacked Pakistan for fomenting troubles in Afghanistan by helping the Taliban.
A former Afghan MP, Shukria Barakzai, angrily said that “The monster they are supporting will come for them (Pakistan) tomorrow.”
Between Pakistan and China, there has been another key but very sensitive issue.
Baluchistan elements have been lately targeting Chinese interests, which may add to the problems in the form of a ‘wedging’ war between two ‘iron brother’ allies.
There is a dichotomy between how officials in Pakistan perceive their interests will be served to have Taliban as ‘friends’ and how the societies in both Pakistan and China look at what is happening around them.
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