Home Blog Page 3998

‘We are the custodians of Taliban, they got shelter and home in Pakistan’: Says Pakistani minister Sheikh Rashid

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘We are the custodians of Taliban, they got shelter and home in Pakistan’: Says Pakistani minister Sheikh Rashid

After the Taliban called Pakistan their ‘second home’, Pakistani Minister Sheikh Rashid has now confessed on a TV show that the Imran Khan-led government has indeed been the custodian of the Talibani leaders. 

“We are the custodians of Taliban leaders. We have taken care of them for long. They got shelter, education and a home in Pakistan. We have done everything for them,” declared Rashid openly while speaking on Hum News programme ‘Breaking Point with Malick’.

Welcoming the Taliban and snubbing the US, Rashid in another interview last week had also revealed that Pakistan is unwilling to shelter the US troop for a long time. “Their stay in the country is only for a limited period,” remarked the minister. 

It is notable here that Rashid is the same person who had once said Pakistan has the technology to develop ‘smart bombs’ that would kill only Hindus in India and spare the Muslims.

The Imran Khan government is gradually shedding its pretence of having nothing to do with the Jihadi organization. In fact, as the Taliban strengthens its position in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s dreams of ‘conquering’ Kashmir with its assistance has come to the fore. 

Speaking on a Pakistani news channel, Neelam Irshad Sheikh, a leader of Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party had said that ‘the Taliban are with us’ and that they will help win Kashmir. 

Pakistan defends the Taliban

The Pakistani Interior Minister’s comments come shortly after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi asserted that Islamabad would continue to play a constructive role to support Afghanistan.

“It is essential for the world community to stay engaged with Afghanistan to stabilise the situation and help the Afghan people economically and to continue providing humanitarian assistance,” said Qureshi making Afghanistan their new favourite neighbour. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan too in a recent interview called the Taliban ‘normal citizens’. He also justified the Jihadi actions by claiming that the Afghan population had broken the ‘chains of slavery’ with the Taliban coming to power.

“We look forward to deepen ties with Pakistan”

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid during a television interview expressed his love and relation with Pakistan. 

“Afghanistan shares its borders with Pakistan. We are traditionally aligned when it comes to religion, the people of both countries mingle with each other. So we are looking forward to further deepening of ties with Pakistan,” said Mujahid adding he would want to establish good relations with India too. 

“The ISKP has links with the Taliban”

Acting president of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh has been the strongest critique of Pakistan for giving shelter to the Taliban. Saleh has been incessantly talking about the deep ties between the terror organizations breeding in both countries. 

“Every evidence we have in hand shows that IS-K cells have their roots in Talibs and Haqqani network, particularly those operating in Kabul. Talibs denying links with ISIS is identical/similar to the denial of Pakistan on Quetta Shura. Talibs have learned very well from the master,” Saleh reiterated after the bomb blast that killed over a 100 civilians in Kabul last week. 

Prior to this, Saleh had accused Pakistan of setting up terrorist factories and camps that provide explosives materials to the Taliban to create chaos in Afghanistan.

The Pioneer Editor and former BJP MP Chandan Mitra passes away, condolences pour in

OpIndia Staff
-
0
The Pioneer Editor and former BJP MP Chandan Mitra passes away, condolences pour in

The Pioneer Editor and former two-time Rajya Sabha MP from Bhartiya Janta Party Dr Chandan Mitra passed away on Wednesday night. A tweet by his son Kushan Mitra suggested that he had been suffering for a while.

Prime Minister Modi condoled his passing.

Mitra’s friends took to Twitter to condole his demise. Current Rajya Sabha BJP MP Swapan Dasgupta Tweeted, “I lost my closest friend—editor of Pioneer & former MP Chandan Mitra—this morning. We were together as students of La Martiniere & went on to St Stephen’s & Oxford. We joined journalism at the same time & shared the excitement of Ayodhya & the saffron wave.”

“I am posting a photograph of Chandan Mitra and me together during a school trip in 1972. Be happy my dear friend wherever you are. Om Shanti,” he continued sharing an old image with his friend. 

Senior Adviser to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Kanchan Gupta Tweeting a Shloka from Gita for his friend said, “My dear friend Chandan Mitra, editor of The Pioneer, is no more. May happiness travel with him to the other side. Till we meet again, memories will remain.”

RSS leader Ram Madhav too Tweeted a condolence message. “Very sorry to hear abt d demise of former MP n senior journalist Sh Chandan Mitra. He was a good friend. Served on d India Foundation Board for many years until his health forced him to withdraw from public activism. Condolences to @kushanmitra n other near and dear. Om Shantih,” reads Madhavs Tweet. 

Chandan Mitra a former BJP member had switched to the Trinamool Congress in 2018. He worked as the editor of The Pioneer after resigning as printer and publisher of the newspaper in June this year.

Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani buried within hours of his death even as Pakistan scrambled to instigate locals

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani buried within hours of his death even as Pakistan scrambled to instigate locals

Syed Ali Geelani, a hardline pro-Pakistan Hurriyat leader, who spearheaded the separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir for over three decades, was buried in Srinagar’s Hyderpora area at 4:37 am on Thursday.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani died in Srinagar on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. The former Hurriyat Conference leader died at around 10.35 PM at his residence in Hyderpora in Srinagar at the age of 92 years.

Security arrangements were made for the final rites of Geelani, who was buried at Srinagar’s ‘Martyrs’ Graveyard’, where most terrorists and separatist leaders have been buried. The police allowed only a limited number of his relatives to attend the funeral.

Following Geelani’s death, the security forces have been put on high alert in the region and police and paramilitary forces have been deployed for a possible curfew. Meanwhile, Pakistan has been trying to use Geelani’s death to instigate locals to unleash violence on the streets of Kashmir.

Soon after his death, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to condole the death of Geelani and claimed that Pakistan saluted his courageous struggle. He said Pakistan’s flag would fly at half-mast, and the country will observe a day of official mourning.

Pakistan’s General Qamar Javed Bajwa has called the separatist leader an “icon” and expressed his “deepest grief” on his demise. 

The pro-Pakistan separatists had given a call to Kashmiris to hit the streets to attend Geelani’s funeral procession in Srinagar and organise such mass events to mourn his death across Kashmir.

However, anticipating that Pakistan would use Geelani’s death to again stoke instability in the valley, the Jammu and Kashmir Police buried him in the early hours of Thursday.

The security officials have shut down mobile internet in Kashmir valley as a precautionary measure to prevent confusion due to the spreading of rumours and incitement of violence by anti-India elements.

Indian student in Australia Vishal Jood to be released on October 15, was wrongly accused of false crimes by Khalistani elements

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Indian student in Australia Vishal Jood to be released on October 15, was wrongly accused of false crimes by Khalistani elements

On September 2 (Local Time), Magistrate K Thomson’s Parramatta LC Court 13 ordered the release of Vishal Jood, the Indian student lodged in a jail in Australia, on October 15, 2021. As per reports, in a plea bargain, NSW’s Department of Public Prosecutors dropped eight charges that included the racial hate crime charges against Jood. OpIndia has confirmed with Jood’s lawyer about his release.

Vishal reportedly pleaded guilty to three minor charges of altercations that happened between September 16, 2020, and February 14, 2021. During the final hearing, Vishal’s lawyer presented video evidence to prove that Jood was provoked by a group of Khalistanis that led to the altercation. For the charges he pleaded guilty to, Jood was sentenced to six months in Jail starting from the day of his arrest, April 16, 2021. His sentence would be over on October 15, 2021.

The Vishal Jood Case

24-year-old Vishal Jood hails from Haryana and currently pursuing higher studies in Australia. He was arrested for his alleged involvement in three crimes in Sydney on April 16. Reports suggest that he was picked by the Australian Police after a group of Indian nationalists clashed with Khalistani elements in Australia. He was charged with damage to property, affray, and assault.

Interestingly, in all three cases, Khalistanis were named as victims. These Khalistani elements are believed to be Indian-origin, however, they do not identify themselves as Indians but prefer being identified with their religious identity and support the idea of Khalistan. OpIndia talking to a few Indian nationalists who said that hostilities between the Indian diaspora and the Khalistani extremists existed for a long time but took a violent turn on August 28, 2020. The fight started after Jassi, a Khalistani, started posting pro-Khalistani and anti-India content on TikTok.

The matter got escalated to the point where both groups gathered at Harris Park and indulged in a gang fight. Jassi, the main culprit in the case, was badly injured. However, Jassi did not back down and continued to threaten Hindus, suggesting he would thrash Haryanvis if he comes across them alone. The tension further escalated between Indians and pro-Khalistani elements once again after the passing of farmer bills in the country and the subsequent protests that began in Punjab in September last year. The protests led by rich farmers and arhatiyas (intermediaries), instigated by Khalistani elements, reached Australia too.

While farmer protests were happening in India, Khalistani elements held similar protests in Australia and used abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A few months later, on January 26, the alleged farmers camping at the Delhi border, joining hands with Khalistani elements, had unleashed violence on the streets of New Delhi and desecrated the national flag at Delhi’s Red Fort. The incident sent shockwaves across the world, and the Indian diaspora across the world, including in Australia, condemned the incident.

Reportedly, an Indian flag was also burnt at a Gurudwara in Sydney, but OpIndia could not verify the details. As a retaliation, a Khalistani flag was burnt by Indian students that irked the Khalistanis further. A Tiktok video went viral from a pro-Khalistan account that showed many Khalistanis beating someone up brutally. Soon, they declared they had bashed an individual named Vishal Jood who had ‘insulted their flag’. However, a day later, it came to light that the Khalistanis had ended up beating some random guy, not Vishal.

On February 28 this year, the Khalistanis entered the localities near Sydney’s Harris Park, where Indians live and vandalised cars and properties. On April 16, a few weeks after the alleged crime, Vishal was arrested from his house in Sydney. The Australian police stated that there is an outstanding warrant against him since 2018 for “other crimes”. Family accused Australian police of deliberately delaying to please Khalistanis and alleged that Indian High Commission was not helping them too.

On September 1, Jood’s lawyer came to an agreement with the prosecutors, and Vishal pleaded guilty in two cases that included charges of minor altercation. Rest of the charges were dropped. The Australia Today quoted Vishal’s brother saying, “By the grace of Bajrang Bali Vishal will be with us soon, we are looking forward to his release from Sydney Prison.”

Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani dies at the age of 92 in Srinagar

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani dies at the age of 92 in Srinagar

Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani passed away in Srinagar on Wednesday evening. The former Hurriyat Conference leader died at around 10.35 PM at his residence in Hyderpora in Srinagar at the age of 92 years.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti shared the news of death of Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Twitter. “Saddened by the news of Geelani sahab’s passing away. We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs,” she tweeted.

Born in Sopore Baramulla in North Kashmir in 1929, Geelani had served as the chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of pro-Pakistan separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir. In June 2020 he had left the Huriyat. He had founded Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and was previously associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir.  He had won the assembly elections to became MLA from Sopore in 1972, 1977 and in 1987.

Geelani was a key hardliner separatist leader in Kashmir, who had played a major role in the increase in separatist activists in the region. He was slapped with sedition charges in 2010 for his anti-India activities.

Geelani is survived by his two sons and four daughters. At present, it is not confirmed whether the burial will take place at Sopore or Hyderpora. Reportedly, his family is wishing to bury him at Hyderpora.

Radical Islam apologist profiled by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint spreads fake news claiming that Hindutva radicals destroyed a Muslim graveyard

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Radical Islam apologist profiled by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint spreads fake news claiming that Hindutva radicals destroyed a Muslim graveyard

On September 1, Islamist-sympathiser who was profiled by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint, CJ Werleman, shared an undated video on his Twitter profile and claimed that a group of Hindu men desecrated and destroyed a Muslim Graveyard in Nathan, India. He wrote, “Hindutva radicals desecrate and destroy a Muslim graveyard in Nathan, India.”

Tweet by CJ Werleman

Several Islamists picked up the video to defame Hindus. Bibi Sajeda wrote, “Are these bhakts agents of urbanism? Which authority has given them this assignment?”

Reaction tweet by Bibi Sajeda

Aidarouss Ahmed Hirsi said,” #HinduvtaTerrorist militias  destroy a #Muslim  cemetery in Nathan, #India”

Tweet by Aidarouss Ahmed Hirsi

Abdul Hameed Lone said, “Hindutva radicals desecrate & destroy a Muslim graveyard in Nathan, India. This is a question mark for the international community as to where India is heading in the South Asian subcontinent & u are all silent.”

Tweet by Abdul Hameed Lone

Kamaal Khan, who appeared to be associated with Tipu Sultan Party, wrote, “Hindutva radicals desecrate and destroy a Muslim graveyard in Nathan, India.”

Tweet by Kamaal Khan

News Agency MuslimMirror wrote, “Hindutva radicals desecrate and destroy a Muslim graveyard in presence of police in Nathan village, Naggar Tehsil in Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India.”

Tweet by Muslim Mirror

Fake claim by The Print journalist

All the claims made by CJ Werleman in his tweet were wrong. First, the incident is not from Nathan as claimed by him. OpIndia reached out to Kullu Police, under which Nathan village in Naggar Tehsil is located. SHO Ashok Sharma, Kullu Police, said that the video is not from the Kullu district and no such incident took place in the area.

The video is from Nahan, the headquarters of Sirmaur District in Himachal Pradesh, and it does not show a Muslim Graveyard destroyed by ‘Hindutva radicals’ as claimed by Werleman. Actually, the video shows an illegal majar being demolished by some Hindu activists with the cooperation of the administration. If one watches the video carefully, a couple of policemen can be seen present at the spot. This indicates that it was not some vandalism, but had the support of the administration.

Kamal Gautam, the General Secretary of Hindu Jagaran Manch in Himachal Pradesh had already posted the same video yesterday on Twitter. In his tweet, he had informed that the Sirmaur unit of Hindu Jagaran Manch had “uprooted an illegal majar constructed by Islamic jihadis under their land jihad agenda at Nahan.” He added that “Jihadis were trying to encroach this precious prime land near medical college Nahan”.

A report by Punjab Kesari confirms this incident, which says that the municipal board demolished the illegal majar with the cooperation of HJM members. The report states that some unknown people had set up the illegal majar on government land near the Dr Y S Parmar Medical College in Nahan. The organisation had informed the urban body about the illegal construction, after which it was demolished and the construction material stocked at the site were removed.

HJM state secretary Manab Sharma said that some unknown people had gathered construction material to build the illegal majar in the night. After they informed the authorities about the same, the illegal construction was removed in the presence of administration and police officials.

Therefore, the video shows an illegal majar being demolished by Hindu Jagaran Manch with the full cooperation of the administration and police, and it was not a Muslim graveyard destroyed by ‘Hindutva radicals’ as claimed by The Print journalist.

CJ Werleman has a history of making false claims

This is not the first time Werleman has published a fake report to claim there is Islamophobia in India. On several occasions, he had made false allegations that the Indian government is suppressing Muslims. In August 2018, he took to Twitter to wrongly claim that the BJP had banned the slaughter of livestock during Eid. Werlemen also claimed that the Police Officer was forcing an Imam to declare “Qurbani is a punishable crime” to his followers in the video that he had attached. In the same year, he posted a video of claiming ‘Hindutva fanatics’ destroying 25 Muslim owned businesses and properties in Aurangabad on 25th March’.

CJ Werlemen appears to have a particular grudge against Uttar Pradesh, probably because a saffron-clad monk is the Chief Minister of the state. In several tweets, he had mentioned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a ‘Hindutva terrorist’.

In 2018, Kasganj Police had to refute his allegations after Werlemen accused them of teaming up with ‘Hindu extremists’ to target Muslims. In a separate instance, this time not involving Uttar Pradesh, Werlemen used a video depicting the violence during the Bhima-Koregaon clashes in Maharashtra and claimed that it, in fact, showed Hindus destroying Muslim property.

Note: Earlier this article identified CJ Werleman as columnist with ThePrint. However, it turns out, he was only ‘profiled’ by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint and has not written any article for them. We have updated the copy. Error is regretted.

After Khel Ratna, Rajiv Gandhi loses national park in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma govt drops his name from Orang National Park

OpIndia Staff
-
0
After Khel Ratna, Rajiv Gandhi loses national park in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma govt drops his name from Orang National Park

Less than a month after the Modi government at the centre decided to drop the name of Rajiv Gandhi from the Khel Ratna award, the Himanta Biswa Sarma government has decided to drop the name of the former prime minister from one of the major national parks in the state. In the weekly cabinet meeting held in Guwahati, the Assam government decided to rename the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park to just Orang National Park.

Assam cabinet decided to drop Rajiv Gandhi from the name of the national park after several organisations had submitted demands to the state government for the same. In last month, Aranya Suraksha Samiti Assam, a nature organisation from the state, had submitted a memorandum to the chief minister urging to rename Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park as Orang National Park. The Adivasi and tea tribes living in the area were also demanding to drop Rajiv Gandhi from the name.

The national park located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river in Darrang, Udalguri and Sonitpur districts is known for various wild animals like Indian rhinos, royal Bengal tiger, pygmy hog, wild elephant, wild water buffalo etc. Covering an area of 79.28 km2, it was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1985, and was upgraded to a national park in 1999.

Orang Wildlife Sanctuary was originally named after Rajiv Gandhi in 1992. However, due to massive protests from the public at that time, this decision was put on hold. However, after it was declared as a national park in 1999, the then Tarun Gogoi led Congress government had again renamed it Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park in 2001. Despite protests from the public and environmentalists, this decision remained in force.

Even though the official name of the park had Rajib Gandhi in it, people in the state never used it, it is always known as Orang National Park. Moreover, when the park was also declared as a tiger reserve in 2016, it was named as Orang Tiger Reserve only.

‘Would have pulled out of the competition if not for Bhagavad Gita’: High jumper Sharad Kumar credits the Hindu scripture for his bronze medal at Paralympics

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Would have pulled out of the competition if not for Bhagavad Gita’: High jumper Sharad Kumar credits the Hindu scripture for his bronze medal at Paralympics

Bronze medalist Sharad Kumar was deflated and dejected a night before competing at the Paralympics T42 high jump owing to an acute problem in his knee. He was even contemplating pulling out his name from the competition but a phone call to his family and reading Bhagwad Gita helped him allay his apprehensions and participate in the event.

Kumar had suffered meniscus dislocation, a type of knee injury, on Monday and cried all night over the anxiety of not being able to participate in the competition. But he ultimately took part in the event and jumped 1.83 metres to win a bronze medal for the country.

“I felt accomplished to have won a bronze for the country because I had suffered an injury on my leg during training on Monday. My meniscus was dislocated last night. I the cried whole night and thought of pulling out of the event,” Kumar said after the event.

After coming third in the competition, Kumar reminisced how talking with his family a night before the event and reading Bhagavad Gita instilled the lost confidence in him to give his best in the next day’s event.

“I spoke to my family and my father told me to read Bhagavad Gita and focus on the variables that are under my control and forget about those over which I can have no control,” said the 29-year-old athlete from Patna, who suffered paralysis of his left leg after being administered a spurious polio drug during a local eradication campaign at the age of two.

“So I forgot about my injury and considered each jump as a war. The medal is the icing on the cake,” Kumar said.

Kumar, a double Asian Para Games (2014 and 2018) high jump champion and world silver medallist (2019), said it was a difficult situation for him during the event as he had to give his best as well as bear in his mind that his jump does not have an adverse impact on his already injured knee.

“I was two tasks at the same time—jumping as well as trying to keep my knee secure. And that amidst a ferocious downpour,” Kumar remembered.

When asked how hard it is to compete in the rain, Kumar said, “Competing in the high jump in rainy conditions is incredibly difficult for us. We have one leg to balance ourselves and we wear spikes on the other leg. I tried to speak to the officials, persuading them to call off the event. But the Americans had spikes for both the legs, this did not help us in our argument and the competition continued as per schedule.”

Kathavachak Bhai Davinder Singh hails Taliban during preaching in Gurudwara, urges Sikhs to revolt against Indian govt

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Kathavachak Bhai Davinder Singh hails Taliban during preaching in Gurudwara, urges Sikhs to revolt against Indian govt

On August 30, Kathavachak Bhai Davinder Singh (Sonu Veer Ji) of Goindwal, Punjab, hailed Taliban while preaching at Gurudwara Nanak Piao, Mahingapur, Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. He said, “Some white men brought military in Afghanistan. At that time, there were 52 Singhs of Taliban. Now you will ask why am I calling them Sikhs. I am calling them Sikhs because if a person is fighting for his rights, which shows manhood, who does not agree to become someone’s slave? Who is he?”

He further added, “When America attacked Afghanistan, the intelligent people, those who were fighting to save their rights, were only 52 in number. It is our misfortune that mothers of our 11-year-olds are getting a haircut for their children. Not even boys, even girls, are chopping off their hair. On the other hand, the Taliban gave their 11-year-olds loaded pistols. When the children asked them what to do when someone enters their home, their parents asked them to shoot the intruders. They started with a group of 52, and now they defeated 2,75,000 American troops with 74,000 men. This is the power of weapons.”

He further added that it is the misfortunes of the Sikhs that they welcome victory with flowers. On the other hand, the Taliban raised their weapons. He alleged that a video got leaked in which Talibs were seen worshipping their weapons before entering Afghan parliament.

Using the example of the Taliban, Davinder Singh said that Sikhs are requesting the Modi government not to torture them. “But for how long? I have told you before if a dog becomes mad, there is no way other than killing it. It is up to you if you kill the dog with the power of vote or with the power of agitation, but you have to kill the dog,” he said.

Davinder Singh further added, “My Sikh brothers, if you do not kill the dog, he will put his knee on your neck. I am giving you an example. The sons of Adani and Ambani only need ½ litre of milk, but the Modi government is serving them 5 litres and not providing anyone else anything. It is not fair. It should be the other way around. You should get 5 litres and give them whatever is left. Now, if you want to take your share, you have to take action. Remember, Khalsa, do not eat leftover.”

Explosive allegations against BJP members

Davinder Singh made some explosive allegations against BJP leaders as well. He said, “If someone supports BJP, ask them about the gang rape of a young woman in the hands of 13 BJP workers who not only raped her but inserted a rod in her private parts. Ask them how they can support such people? If you ask this question, they will back off.” He not only urged his followers to keep the farmer protests alive but also to remove the Modi government from power by any means whatsoever.

Gurudwaras are being used to spread fake information

This is not the first time a Gurudwara has been used to radicalize Sikh youth or spread misinformation about the Union Government or Agriculture laws. In December 2020, it was reported that the Sermons of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib spread misinformation about the Agriculture laws. Katha Vachak Baba Banta Singh made several false claims which were completely opposite to what is in the laws.

“Don’t forget me here,” pleads Afghan interpreter left behind in Afghanistan who had saved Joe Biden 13 years ago

OpIndia Staff
-
0
“Don’t forget me here,” pleads Afghan interpreter left behind in Afghanistan who had saved Joe Biden 13 years ago

An Afghan interpreter who saved Joe Biden in Afghanistan 13 years ago, pleaded with the US president to rescue him and his family. “Hello Mr President, Save me and my family,” begged Mohammed who chose to not give out his full name while speaking with Wall Street Journal. 

While the US troops have completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Afghan who had worked with them as an interpreter was left behind in the country, like thousands of others who now fear punishment from the Taliban.

“Don’t forget me here,” urged the Afghan who had stood guard with Afghan soldiers and US troops for 30 hours in freezing temperatures to protect Biden roughly a decade ago. Mohammed who is scared for his life and currently in hiding with his wife and four children, was part of a team that helped rescue a three-member US delegation. 

In 2008, the helicopters carrying then-Senator Biden and former Sens. Chuck Hagel, and John Kerry, were forced to land in a snowstorm, stranding them in a remote valley in Afghanistan. That is when Mohammed who was a part of the US troop risked his life for Biden. 

“We will get you out”, saus White House

White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to Mohammed’s plea on Tuesday saying, “We will get you out.”

“We will honour your service, and we’re committed to doing exactly that,” Psaki further said assuring the interpreter.

Reportedly, Mohammed’s visa application has been delayed after the defence contractor he worked for lost all the records required for his application. Mohammed even reported to the designated airport gates at Kabul to flee the country but was asked to leave his family behind. 

“I can’t leave my house. I’m very scared,” remarked Mohammed uncertain about his evacuation. 

Mohammed, like countless other Afghans, is still waiting to be rescued. 

After successfully taking over Afghanistan, the Taliban has launched a door-to-door hunt in search of every Afghan who helped the US and Afghan troops. The Jihadi organization has killed hundreds of interpreters to date. 

Declaring that the withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan is complete, Biden assured, “For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline.” However, with the US troops pulling out completely from the war-torn country, uncertainty continues to loom especially for those who stood by the US and await help.

1...3,9973,9983,999...7,679Page 3,998 of 7,679