Task force formed to find out condition of Nepalis in Afghanistan

KATHMANDU, Aug 16: The government has formed a task force under the coordination of a joint-Secretary at  the Foreign Ministry to find out the condition of Nepalis in Afghanistan due to the recently developed scenario there. 

According to the Foreign Ministry, the taskforce was formed under the coordination of Chief of Central Asia, West Asia and Africa Division where representatives from Finance, Home, Labour and Employment, Culture and Civil Aviation, Health and Population Ministries, Nepal Police, COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre and Department of Consular Services would be the members.  

An inter-ministerial meeting was held at the Office of Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi on Sunday for necessary coordination after finding out the condition of Nepalis, who are in Afghanistan for employment, and for their rescue. 

An arrangement has been made for online registration of the details of Nepali citizens in Afghanistan in the website of the Department of Consular Services. The respective persons or families have been urged to register the details along with names of those, who are in Afghanistan, on the website. 

Similarly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has put in place Viber and WhatsApp numbers (9749326458 and 9749326459) to connect with the Nepalis in Afghanistan. 

The meeting has urged Nepalis in Afghanistan to appraise Nepali authority of their condition. 

The Government of Nepal has already made official correspondence with the USA, the UK, Canada, European Union, Japan and the UN offices to rescue Nepalis working in various foreign diplomatic missions and international agencies in Afghanistan, said the MoFA.

The Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, India, has already issued a travel advisory in connection to the turn of events in Afghanistan in recent days.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that various phone numbers and contact numbers were available for Nepalis in Afghanistan to reach out for any assistance. 

The recruiting companies which used to send Nepali migrant workers to Afghanistan for foreign employment have been urged to provide factual details about Nepalis sent there, according to the press statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.