Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 22: The family of a Kashmiri Academic who was among a group of people allegedly detained by Taliban fighters near Kabul Airport for questioning said that their son was safe, but urged that his return should be facilitated.
Adil Rasool Sheikh was one of 150 Indians apprehended by Taliban fighters at Hamid Karzai International Airport today and taken to an unknown location for questioning and travel document verification.
After reading in the media that Taliban fighters had detained a lot of Indian citizens, the family said they were worried, but their son was safe. “They were given lunch and dropped back after checking their travel documents. It was a normal checking. They hurt no one,” Riyaz Ahmad, brother of Adil told Excelsior. He said the authorities had asked him to stay at the University until arrangements for his return were made. “He is back in the university, unharmed.”
At least three Kashmiris, including two young men from Kulgam in South Kashmir, are stuck in Afghanistan following the takeover of the country by Taliban.
While working as Assistant Professors at Bakhtar University in Kabul, Afghanistan, Adil Rasool Sheikh and Dr. Asif Ahmad of Qoimoh, Kulgam, have visited their families in Kulgam on a regular basis since 2017. The families of two Kulgam men had requested assistance from the Lieutenant Governor’s office in bringing their loved ones home safely.
The families are worried about their safety in the aftermath of the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul. “Though we are in contact with our son and he is safe, we are concerned about him given the instability in Afghanistan”, a family member of Adil said.
He said Dr Adil Rasool’s wife is also with him in Afghanistan, which makes it much more difficult for him to get through these terrible times.
While describing his brother’s suffering, he said they were waiting outside the Kabul airport in a car, but the security refused to let them in. “Over 150 people were cramped inside a local marriage hall waiting for evacuation, but they had to return to University hostel after security refused to let them in,” he said.
While trapped at Kabul’s airport last week, Dr Asif sent an SOS on social media, pleading with the Indian Government to assign a point man who could assist them in leaving Kabul. “We have about 280 [Indian] people in our group. Despite arriving around 12 a.m. [on Friday night], we were unable to approach the Kabul airport,” Asif said in a video message.
He described the scenario as “chaotic” and “frightening” as he stood outside the Kabul airport. “Hundreds of thousands of people are marching to Kabul International Airport. Each country has its own set of employees who go with it,” he said.
He requested that the Indian Government, particularly the Ministry of External Affairs, assigned an official to assist them in entering the Kabul airport.
Shah also stated that there was no available lodging. “The airport is under US control, and security officials are firing gunshots into the air to disperse people,” he explained.
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