Afghanistan Situation: Jaishankar to brief floor leaders of all political parties

The Centre has called for an all-party meeting at 11 am on Thursday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in the war-ravaged country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will brief the floor leaders of all the political parties. This comes after the Opposition parties asked the government to issue a statement on the Afghanistan crisis.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge will be present at the meeting. This comes at a time when the Indian government is evacuating its citizens from the war-ravaged country as the Taliban entered the presidential palace in the Afghan capital on August 15 and declared its victory over the government after months of violence in Afghanistan. India, on August 17, had also announced that it would issue an emergency e-visa to Afghan nationals who want to come to the country in view of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban captured power there. India has evacuated 626 people including 228 Indian citizens from Afghanistan till Tuesday, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. "626 people including 228 Indian citizens have been evacuated from Afghanistan till now. The number of Afghan Sikhs who have been evacuated is 77," Puri had informed earlier.

Earlier, PM Narendra Modi asked the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to brief floor leaders of all political parties on the recent developments in Afghanistan. "Floor Leaders of Political Parties would be briefed by EAM @DrSJaishankar on the present situation in Afghanistan, on 26th August, 11 am in Main Committee Room, PHA, New Delhi. Invites are being sent through email. All concerned are requested to attend," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi tweeted on Tuesday. On August 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and instructed all concerned officials to undertake all necessary measures to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from Afghanistan in the coming days. All Afghans, irrespective of their religion, can apply for the 'e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' online and the applications will be processed in New Delhi.

The announcement came two days after the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan. "The MHA reviews visa provisions in view of the current situation in Afghanistan. A new category of electronic visa called 'e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' introduced to fast-track visa applications for entry into India," a Home Ministry spokesperson then said in a statement. Officials said since Indian missions in Afghanistan are shut, the visa can be applied online and applications will be examined and processed in New Delhi.

(ANI)