No more evacuations until situation improves for Afghans abroad: Taliban

Published
8

The Taliban will not allow any more evacuations of Afghans until the situation improves abroad for those who have already left, their spokesman said on Sunday.

“The government has the responsibility to protect the people so this will be stopped until we get the assurance that their lives will not be endangered,” Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference.

More than 120,000 Afghans and dual nationals were evacuated up to August 31 when the last US-led troops withdrew, two weeks after the hardline group seized Kabul.

Read: Afghan refugees in UAE protest months-long wait for resettlement

Hundreds more were allowed to leave on flights after that, but the last official evacuation by air was on December 1.

Occasional evacuations have taken place by road via Pakistan until recently, however.

Zabihullah said the Taliban had received reports of thousands of Afghans “living in very bad conditions” in Qatar and Turkey.

Opinion

Editorial

Regional security
Updated 28 Oct, 2026

Regional security

Iran and the Makkah pact states should pledge not to let external actors use their soil to launch aggression against each other.
Rate hike
28 Oct, 2026

Rate hike

THE SBP’s decision to raise its policy rate by 50 basis points to 12pc was largely expected. It is also justified...
Press solidarity
28 Oct, 2026

Press solidarity

PAKISTAN’S journalists have seldom lacked organisations speaking in defence of press freedom. What has been ...
Privatisation framework
Updated 27 Oct, 2026

Privatisation framework

The proposed merger of the Privatisation Commission and the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A) into a single institution is a sensible move.
Chromebook scheme
Updated 27 Oct, 2026

Chromebook scheme

Technology can widen opportunity, but only when it is tied to good teaching, reliable connectivity and clear educational purpose.
Dengue season
27 Oct, 2026

Dengue season

ANOTHER dengue outbreak looms over the country for reasons of lack of preparedness and negligence. This month’s...