Pakistan ISI agents steal Afghan passports stamped with Indian visas from Kabul office

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<strong>Amid chaos in Afghanistan over evacuation, there are reports that ISI backed terrorists targeted  a travel agency in Kabul and  forcibly took away all Afghan passports stamped with Indian visas.</strong></p>
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Following the incident that took place on August 15, when the Taliban captured Kabul, a group of suspected Pakistani agents entered the travel agency which was authorised as Indian visa distribution office in Kabul and took away all Afghan passports stamped with Indian visas. Following the incident, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs have cancelled all Indian visas issued on Afghan passports and has asked people of Afghanistan to apply for E-visa.</p>
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“Owing to the prevailing security situation in Afghanistan and streamlining of the visa process by introduction of the e-Emergency X-Misc visa, it has been decided that all Afghan nationals henceforth must travel to India only on e-Visa.</p>
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<a href="https://mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/34200/Owing_to_prevailing_security_situation_in_Afghanistan_all_Afghan_nationals_henceforth_must_travel_to_India_only_on_eVisa">Keeping in view some reports that certain passports of Afghan nationals</a> have been misplaced, previously issued visas to all Afghan nationals, who are presently not in India, stand invalidated with immediate effect. Afghan nationals wishing to travel to India may apply for e-Visa at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in,” said the press release issued by the ministry.</p>
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The incident has sounded the alarm bells among various Indian security and immigration agencies.</p>
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The identities of the men who forcibly entered the office are not known but all of them were speaking fluent Urdu, reports Hindustan Times. This clearly shows that they were not local Afghans but are likely to be from Pakistan. The fact that they were moving around with ease amidst the uncertainty in the city, suggests they were operatives of the notorious  ISI wing of the Pakistan forces which is active in Kabul.</p>
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Indian intelligence sources are confident about their links with Pakistan and Pakistani agency ISI.  The Indian visa distribution office which was broken into, is an outsourced agency which works on behalf of the Indian Embassy in Kabul.</p>
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“There is a strong possibility that the Afghan passports with Indian visas could be used to forge passports for terrorists by changing the photograph on the travel document.There is a strong possibility that the Afghan passports with Indian visas could be used to forge passports for terrorists by changing the photograph on the travel document,'' a source  told the Hindustan Times.</p>
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Given the past experience, it is highly likely that the ISI could use these passports with India visas to infiltrate militants into India for terror activities. After the fall of Kabul, many Pakistani groups are active in Afghanistan and seizing passports and travel documents which will be used for making forged passports and related documents.</p>
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Last month, in a security alert it was said that the ISI had instructed the Taliban, joined by a large number of Pakistani fighters in Afghanistan, to target Indian-built assets over the last several years in the war-torn country.</p>
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The Pakistani operatives are in Afghanistan with specific instructions to target the Indian-built assets and remove any signs of Indian goodwill work there.</p>
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According to an intelligence estimate more than 10,000 Pakistanis have reached Afghanistan.</p>
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While the Taliban so far has not made any anti-India statements, Pakistan has been trying its best  to promote anti-India elements within the Taliban. The Haqqani Network is the segment of the Taliban that Pakistan has repeatedly used to attack the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan.</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/india-news/violating-promise-taliban-searched-indian-consulates-drove-away-vehicles-108917.html">Violating promise, Taliban searched Indian consulates, drove away vehicles</a></strong></p>