Govt to brief leaders of political parties on developments in Afghanistan

Team Udayavani, Aug 23, 2021, 2:25 PM IST

New Delhi: The government will brief parliamentary leaders of various political parties on the developments in war-torn Afghanistan.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)) to brief the floor leaders of the political parties.

“In view of developments in Afghanistan, PM @narendramodi has instructed that MEA brief Floor Leaders of political parties. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs @JoshiPralhad will be intimating further details,” Jaishankar tweeted.

The government’s briefing is expected to focus on its evacuation mission from Afghanistan as well as its assessment of the situation in that country.

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan this month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities, including Kabul, following the withdrawal of the US forces from the country.

As part of its evacuation mission from Afghanistan, India has already brought back around 730 people including members of the Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities.

India on Monday brought back 146 of its nationals in four different flights from Qatar’s capital Doha, days after they were evacuated from Afghanistan by NATO and American aircraft in view of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country.

On Sunday, 392 people including two Afghan lawmakers were evacuated in three different flights under the evacuation mission

The Taliban seized control of Kabul on August 15. Within two days of the Taliban’s capture of Kabul, India had evacuated 200 people, including the Indian envoy and other staffers of its embassy in the Afghan capital.

The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 people, mostly staffers at the Indian embassy, on August 16.

The second aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians from Kabul on August 17.