Austria: Afghan diaspora protest in Vienna as Taliban's takeover of Kabul completes a year

Marking one year since the Taliban overthrew the democratically elected government in Afghanistan to take control of the country, an Afghan diaspora group recently staged a protest in Vienna. The group also denounced Pakistan's meddling in Afghanistan's affairs. In a statement, the protesters noted, “We, the participants of the internal protest, by issuing this resolution strongly request the international community to condemn Pakistan’s interventions in Afghanistan and its continued support to terror organisations operating in Afghanistan”, ANI reported.  

In front of the Pakistan Embassy in Austria, a large crowd held a protest that was organised by a group of Afghan diaspora. The demonstrators were holding a poster with the slogans - "Pakistan- Terror funding state stop using Afghanistan for your Drug trafficking" and “Pakistan – Stop killing innocent Afghans” - written on it.   

Additionally, in order to provide the groundwork for long-term peace and security in the nation, the diaspora urged the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations Security Council to establish a new strategy and policy to end the conflict in Afghanistan and prevent Pakistan from meddling in Kabul's domestic affairs. 

Afghan diaspora group protest in Austria; demand action against Pakistan

The protesters also asked the European Parliament to 'arrest' all those Pakistani ISI members, senior commanders, as well as generals, who have been responsible for Afghanistan's 40-year proxy war and who have committed human rights crimes against defenceless individuals, particularly women, ANI reported.  

“They should all be brought to justice and tried in an International Court as perpetrators of war crimes,” the protesters claimed.

“We request the United Nations Security Council, the international community, especially the European Union, to take urgent and effective measures against the Government of Pakistan and prevent terrorist activities inside Afghanistan,” they said in the statement. 

Besides this, the demonstrators want the European Union's member states to implement economic, diplomatic, and military sanctions on Pakistan in order to compel it to dismantle any terrorist organisations, including Daesh and Al-Qaeda, that are currently operating within its borders, as per the ANI report.  

However, the Afghan diaspora group even stated that Pakistan, the epicentre of terrorism and extremism in South Asia, is not solely to blame for the unrest in Afghanistan. They claimed, “Pakistan destroys the world due to its irresponsible actions, Pakistan’s military expansion and Taliban plans must be stopped by the European Union and the United Nations Security Council”.  

Last year, on August 15, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. The Taliban offensive has forced thousands of Afghan people to displace, and leave the nation. An estimated 40,000 individuals have fled to neighbouring Iran, while over three lakh Afghans have been internally displaced, according to the UN. 

(Image: ANI)