ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, has said Islamabad has as yet not taken a decision to suspend the operations of its consulates in Afghanistan.
There are four consulate generals in Afghanistan authorized to issue Pakistani visas and deal with consular affairs other than the Pakistan Embassy, namely Jalalabad, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar and Herat.
The ambassador’s comments come as Afghanistan’s third-largest city, Herat, was on the verge of falling to the Taliban on Thursday amid heavy fighting, as the militant group also established a bridgehead within 150 km (95 miles) of Kabul.
The spiralling violence and the militants’ swift advances prompted the United States and Germany to urge their citizens to leave the country immediately.
A US intelligence assessment this week said the Taliban could isolate Kabul within 30 days and take it over in 90.
“There is no decision to suspend operations of Pakistan’s Consulates General in Afghanistan,” Ambassador Khan said in a tweet. “In view of security situation staff strength has been minimized. Due to COVID-19 in-person visas are not being processed and only on-line visas are being issued.”
There is no decision to suspend operations of Pakistan’s Consulates General in Afghanistan. In view of security situation staff strength has been minimized. Due to COVID-19 in-person visas are not being processed and only on-line visas are being issued @ForeignOfficePk @PakinAfg
— Mansoor Ahmad Khan (@ambmansoorkhan) August 12, 2021
Khan’s tweet came as the United States and Britain said on Thursday they would send thousands of troops to Afghanistan to protect and help evacuate civilians, as the Taliban stood poised for their two biggest military victories since they began a broad offensive in May.
In response to the militants’ swift and violent advances, the Pentagon said it would temporarily send about 3,000 extra troops within 48 hours to help secure the drawdown of US Embassy personnel from Kabul.
Britain said it would deploy around 600 troops to help its nationals and local translators get out.
India sent a military plane to northern Afghanistan on Tuesday to pull out its citizens, and shut its consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, the biggest city in the north, urging its diplomats and Indian citizens to take the special flight home.
