Thousands of Afghans stranded at Pakistan border to flee Taliban regime
Sep 07, 2021
Kandahar City [Afghanistan], September 7 : For nearly two weeks, thousands of Afghans including women and children have been stranded near the Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province, reported local media.
Afghans and their families, who hail from Afghanistan's northern and eastern provinces have been in a hurry to leave the country soon after Kabul fell to the Taliban. Islamabad is allowing only those people who have either Pakistani ID cards or Kandahar ID cards, Pajhwok Afghan News said on Monday.
One of the thousands of stranded Afghans at the Spin Boldak, Abdul Wadud, said that the Taliban's armed men and Pakistani forces aren't allowing people to enter Pakistan. He underlined that thousands of Afghans daily gather at the border to cross into Pakistan but they have been unable to do so, according to Pajhwok Afghan News.
Wadud hails from the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and has been attempting to leave the country as he fears for his children's future under the Taliban regime.
Afghans have also said that some families were forced to pay nearly 5,000 to 6,000 rupees to smugglers to send them to Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's spokesperson, had said in a news conference in Kabul that problems with Pakistan had increased in the country's port areas.
According to Pajhwok Afghan News, he stressed that the number of Afghans in Spin Boldak and Torkham who wanted to cross into Pakistan was higher than ever and they were not allowed by the Pakistani side.
Mujahid also said that the victims included patients, refugees and even traders whom Pakistan had blocked.
