ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on Tuesday more than 9,000 foreigners evacuated from Afghanistan had transited through Islamabad to their respective countries, Pakistani media reported.
Khan’s comments coincide with the withdrawal of the last US troops from Afghanistan and celebrations by the Taliban, who captured control of Kabul on August 15.
Thousands of Afghans are still camped outside Kabul airport, hoping to flee the war-torn country. Others continue to throng to the country’s borders, desperate to leave by land routes.
Pakistan has been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts to evacuate and provide food to people in Afghanistan. Its national flag carrier has so far airlifted hundreds of foreign diplomats, journalists and aid workers, and flew WHO medical and food supplies from Dubai to Mazar-i-Sharif on Monday.
“A total of 13,500 individuals have been evacuated from Afghanistan on 186 flights since the Taliban took control of Kabul, while 9,500 have gone to their own countries,” Sarwar told the Dawn news channel.
Of these, nearly 3,500 were residing at different hotels in Islamabad, according to the report. Twenty aircraft from various countries, both commercial and military, were currently parked at the Islamabad airport where individuals evacuated from Afghanistan continued to arrive and then travel onwards for their respective countries.
Asked if some foreigners were housed at the US Embassy in Islamabad, Sarwar said: “Some diplomats could be staying there, but I don’t know exactly.”
Since returning to power, the Taliban have said they want to maintain “good relations” with the international community, form “an all-inclusive” government, and will not allow Afghan territory to be used in attacks against any other country.
In the past two weeks, Islamabad has also pushed that the international community stay engaged in Afghanistan to help achieve durable peace, security and development in the war-ravaged nation.