Kabul: Passport Office is reopening Kabul Gave Wednesday to some Afghans who feel themselves in danger Taliban reign anew hopefully they may be able to escape the country soon.
Hundreds flocked to the department to apply for travel documents in a test of the commitment of the new Afghan government International community to allow eligible people to visit.
“I’m trying to escape,” said Mohammad Hanif, who said he was an interpreter for US special forces in the south of the country from 2009 to 2013.
Like many Afghans who worked for the US and allied forces after the 2001 invasion, Hanif fears that the Taliban will retaliate if they find him, so he is desperate to escape.
Hanif said in English, “I’m stressed right now.” “Because I also live in Helmand province – it’s very dangerous.”
The 32-year-old was among those visiting the passport office in Kabul since it opened for the first time since the Taliban seized power in mid-August.
The Taliban announced a day earlier that all employees – including female employees – had been asked to return to their offices as the new government tries to kickstart the country’s poor infrastructure.
Hanif said he had applied for his passport four months ago but was able to complete the application only on Wednesday and would submit the documents in a few days.
The former interpreter said he has a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) to the United States and plans to move there with his wife and two children.
He said he first tried to leave Afghanistan in August during a chaotic US-led evacuation operation, but could not get to Kabul airport.
“When the Taliban took over the country, especially the capital, everyone tried to get to the airport,” he told AFP outside the passport office, holding his paperwork.
“I got an email and a phone call from my mentor as well as to bring my ass to the airport, so there I went.
“There were too many people, too many crowds. I couldn’t make it.”
Since then, Hanif told AFP he was being hunted in Helmand province by the Taliban, who accuse him of stealing weapons and a vehicle from the government.
“Yesterday I got a call … and they are trying to catch me,” he said.
“They’re calling me straight to get those things back. I told them I didn’t take anything. I’m not in the government. I was an interpreter.”
Until he boarded a flight, Hanif said he was “disappointed”.
“I can’t move around. I live in Kabul, because the people here don’t know me. That’s why I’m here.”
The Taliban is trying to get government employees back to work, but civil servants have gone months without pay.
head of passport departmentAlam Gul Haqqani said that the passport office staff are being paid and separate offices for women and men have been created in accordance with the Taliban’s approach to Islamic law.
“No problem,” he said. “Both male and female employees are back at work.”
Haqqani, who said the office is capable of issuing about 6,000 passports a day, told AFP that “there will be no negative impact from the large number of people coming in for passports”.
Meanwhile, a sixth passenger flight took off from Kabul airport for Doha on Wednesday, a senior Qatari government official said.
Afghan journalists as well as citizens of countries around the world were on board the flight carrying over 300 passengers.
Hundreds flocked to the department to apply for travel documents in a test of the commitment of the new Afghan government International community to allow eligible people to visit.
“I’m trying to escape,” said Mohammad Hanif, who said he was an interpreter for US special forces in the south of the country from 2009 to 2013.
Like many Afghans who worked for the US and allied forces after the 2001 invasion, Hanif fears that the Taliban will retaliate if they find him, so he is desperate to escape.
Hanif said in English, “I’m stressed right now.” “Because I also live in Helmand province – it’s very dangerous.”
The 32-year-old was among those visiting the passport office in Kabul since it opened for the first time since the Taliban seized power in mid-August.
The Taliban announced a day earlier that all employees – including female employees – had been asked to return to their offices as the new government tries to kickstart the country’s poor infrastructure.
Hanif said he had applied for his passport four months ago but was able to complete the application only on Wednesday and would submit the documents in a few days.
The former interpreter said he has a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) to the United States and plans to move there with his wife and two children.
He said he first tried to leave Afghanistan in August during a chaotic US-led evacuation operation, but could not get to Kabul airport.
“When the Taliban took over the country, especially the capital, everyone tried to get to the airport,” he told AFP outside the passport office, holding his paperwork.
“I got an email and a phone call from my mentor as well as to bring my ass to the airport, so there I went.
“There were too many people, too many crowds. I couldn’t make it.”
Since then, Hanif told AFP he was being hunted in Helmand province by the Taliban, who accuse him of stealing weapons and a vehicle from the government.
“Yesterday I got a call … and they are trying to catch me,” he said.
“They’re calling me straight to get those things back. I told them I didn’t take anything. I’m not in the government. I was an interpreter.”
Until he boarded a flight, Hanif said he was “disappointed”.
“I can’t move around. I live in Kabul, because the people here don’t know me. That’s why I’m here.”
The Taliban is trying to get government employees back to work, but civil servants have gone months without pay.
head of passport departmentAlam Gul Haqqani said that the passport office staff are being paid and separate offices for women and men have been created in accordance with the Taliban’s approach to Islamic law.
“No problem,” he said. “Both male and female employees are back at work.”
Haqqani, who said the office is capable of issuing about 6,000 passports a day, told AFP that “there will be no negative impact from the large number of people coming in for passports”.
Meanwhile, a sixth passenger flight took off from Kabul airport for Doha on Wednesday, a senior Qatari government official said.
Afghan journalists as well as citizens of countries around the world were on board the flight carrying over 300 passengers.
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