By
Sajjad Shaukat
India which has invested billions of
dollars in Afghanistan, signed a wide-ranging strategic agreement with that
country on October 5, 2011 also includes to help train Afghan security forces,
while assisting Kabul in diversified projects has been playing double game with
the war-torn country. Overtly, New Delhi has been claiming friendship
with Afghanistan, covertly, it is strengthening Indian grip by
creating unending lawlessness in that country which has become a most suitable
place for Indian secret agency RAW to implement a conspiracy to fulfill its
country’s strategic designs against Iran, China and particularly Pakistan. As
part of India’s dual strategy, RAW has well-established its network in
Afghanistan and is in connivance with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and
Daesh and is using the militants of these terrorist outfits to destabilize
Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and especially Pakistan’s
province of Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities, promoting
acrimonious sense of dissent, political volatility, sectarian violence and
arousing sentiments of separatism. In this context, the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) is their special target.
Now, as part of Indian double game, in the
early May, this year, India has tightens visa rules for the Afghan nationals.
Regarding India’s imposition of new visa restrictions on Afghan citizens, India
media reported, “Visa applicants are now required to submit their personal bank
account statements demonstrating financial ability to pay all costs of the
trip. Minor applicants (aged 15 or below) and dependents who do not have
individual bank accounts can submit bank statements of their
parents/spouse/children. For those who travel to India for medical reasons, it
is now mandatory to get a letter from a local Afghan doctor clearly stating
that treatment for the particular illness or disease is not available in
Afghanistan.”
The media elaborated, “Such restrictions
are seen as more of a hurdle for people whose country is at war with Taliban
and where local people face daily threat to survival. Unlike India, large parts
of Afghanistan have little or no rule of government and more often than not,
local people have to run away from their homes to protect themselves from
Taliban.”
It further said, “Given the grim ground reality,
Afghans look to India for medical treatment or to pursue university education.
Hundreds of them travel to hospitals in Delhi and surrounding areas for
treatment with little or no medical intervention back home.”
While quoting the statement of Afghan
Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, Indian media pointed out,
“India has tightened visa controls for Afghan nationals because of
concerns over Afghan passports being found in the possession of citizens of
countries neighbouring Afghanistan…he made the remarks after the Meshrano
Jirga, or upper house of parliament, summoned to explain visa restrictions
imposed by India for Afghan nationals…Rabbani did not name the countries whose
citizens had obtained Afghan passports. However, Afghan media reports quoted
senators as saying that the move was linked to Indian concerns about
Pakistan…the minister of foreign affairs was directly hinting at Pakistan…Asef
Sediqi, a senator, was quoted as saying by Tolo News…the senators said they
believed India had taken the step to prevent the entry of militants…regional
countries are concerned that suspected militants of Daesh, Taliban and other
terrorist groups might enter into their countries from Afghanistan…Rabbani said
India is concerned over the easy access to Afghan passports by nationals of
neighbouring countries and has urged (the Afghan) government to resolve the
issue”.
Nevertheless, Indian double game with
Afghanistan has also been exposed by the Indian media which also said, “On 4
June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Afghanistan’s Herat province
to dedicate the India-built Salma Dam to water-starved and electricity-deprived
people of the region. This trip will come days after Modi signed the agreement
in Tehran that commits India to develop the Chabahar port, a project that is
viewed by the people of Afghanistan as one that will help reduce their
dependence on Pakistan…the enormous goodwill for India among the people of
Afghanistan, however, is threatened by bureaucratic hurdles created in the recent
weeks with new visa restrictions imposed by New Delhi.”
It is notable that on June 30, 2014, India
had announced liberal visa policy for Afghan nationals—exemption of senior
Afghan citizens and children from police reporting, allowing the Afghan nationals
to stay in India on stay visa/resident permit up to two years at a time, and
upgradation of the amenities at the Foreigner Regional Registration Office
(FRRO) for the Afghan nationals. While doubting the integrity of the Afghan
citizens, a system of biometric enrolment and photography was introduced to
ensure that such facilities were not misused by unscrupulous elements, as
stated by the home ministry of India. But these facilities have been taken back
from the Afghan citizens in the new visa policy which has imposed restrictions.
It is mentionable that unlike India , Pakistan
has provided the Afghans with several visa facilities, as per Pakistan Pakistan
Undoubtedly, Indian new visa policy shows
Indian maltreatment vis-à-vis Pakistan’s good behaviour with Afghanistan and
Afghanistan’s friendly gestures with India vis-à-vis undue animosity with
Pakistan.
Reports of Afghan media suggest that the
issue of Indian new visa rules for the Afghan citizens has been has been raised
in Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga (House of People).
Nonetheless, India has tightens visa rules
for the Afghans as part of double game with Afghanistan.
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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