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Updated October 26th, 2021 at 00:00 IST

Plea filed in Delhi HC seeking evacuation of 227 Hindus & Sikhs stranded in Afghanistan

A public interest litigation has been filed in the Delhi high court demanding the evacuation of more than 200 Indian nationals & minorities from Afghanistan

Reported by: Aakansha Tandon
Afghanistan
ANI/ AP | Image:self
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A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court demanding the evacuation of more than 200 Indian nationals and Afghans from minority communities stranded in the terror-struck nation of Afghanistan under the orthodox Taliban terror group's regime, news agency ANI reported on Monday.

According to the PIL, these individuals were stranded in Afghanistan when the Taliban regained the country in August and suffered daily threats to their property and lives from the Islamist terrorist group.

PIL in Delhi HC seeks immediate evacuation of 227 Hindus & Sikhs stranded in Afghanistan

Parminder Pal Singh, a former spokesperson for the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGPC), has filed the petition through his lawyer, Gurinder Pal Singh. Parminder has requested the government to make quick arrangements for the 227 stranded Indians and Afghans of Hindu and Sikh groups to somehow be evacuated from Kabul.

The government should also provide electronic/e-visas to the stranded citizens and engage with international authorities to ensure their safe return to India, the PIL demanded the court to direct the central government.  The PIL claims that the Indian government has not yet provided any assistance to the trapped citizens and that the minorities in the war-torn country are living in constant dread and anxiety. The petitioner was quoted as saying by ANI,

The long ordeal and waiting for grant of e-visa and lack of evacuation flights have taken a toll on both mental and physical well-being of these stranded persons.

This comes a day after several humanitarian organisations and NGOs appealed to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) requesting them to evacuate over 100 Indians, including their spouses and children, as well as over 200 Hindu-Sikh Afghans struck in Afghanistan.

They have been facing threats to their life, the NGOs claimed. The plea also asserted that the Indian government pay attention to the issuance of fresh e-visas as assured. It further said that those wishing to be flown out of Afghanistan are awaiting the e-visa, as the previously issued visas were cancelled by the Indian government.

When the US and other foreign-led forces left Afghanistan in August, causing the fall of the Kabul government, India declared the cancellation of all previously issued visas and stated that Afghans may only enter the country through e-visas which will be issued by the authorities under India's strategy to help people evacuate the war-torn nation.

With ANI Inputs

Image: ANI/ AP

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Published October 26th, 2021 at 00:00 IST

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