India at the United Nations expressed concern over the situation in Afghanistan and called for the formation of an inclusive and representative government structure that aims to combat terrorism and preserve the rights of women, children and minorities as a top priority. Notably, India has still not recognised the Taliban government and has said that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
In a UN Security Council meeting on the topic of 'Situation in Afghanistan' on Wednesday, India's Permanent Representative at the UN Ruchira Kamboj said that as a contiguous neighbour to Afghanistan, a friend to its people and as a country with direct stakes in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan, India was still concerned over the situation in the country.
“Our common and immediate priorities include providing humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people, formation of an inclusive and representative government structure, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities,” Kamboj said.
She also noted the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was compounded by natural disasters like the earthquakes that killed over 2,000 people in the country and had devastating impacts on the lives of civilians. The Indian envoy to the UN asserted that humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan "needs to be prioritised" by the international community.
Kamboj also listed the steps that India has taken to deliver material humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and continued its educational scholarships for the Afghan students and reassured, “Our humanitarian assistance will continue for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan," she added.
India's development partnership has included more than 500 projects spread across each of the 34 provinces of the war-torn country in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building.
However, the Taliban government does not seem to have followed on its earlier promises to provide certain liberties for women. Taliban employs a different interpretation of the centuries-old Sharia law, which includes public executions, amputations and flogging. Women's access to public parks has already been restricted and they now require a male guardian for long-distance travel. The harsh measures on women have triggered international outrage and concerns over human rights violations, especially in Muslim-majority countries.
A recent UN report made an astounding claim that women in Afghanistan were sent to prison by Taliban officials in order to 'protect' them from gender-based violence. The report said that although the protection of women is claimed, it harms the physical and mental health of survivors.
(with inputs from PTI)
