Embassy helps 58 Afghans to Pakistan and brings them to the Netherlands

58 Afghans who have crossed the border into Pakistan by land will soon be able to come to the Netherlands. This is reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Afghans were on the Netherlands’ list to be evacuated when the Taliban took power, but were unable to reach the airport.

There is an urgent advice from the Netherlands not to use the overland escape route, because it is too dangerous. Nevertheless, the Netherlands accompanied the Afghans during their flight by e-mail and telephone and helped them cross the border by consulting with the Pakistani authorities.

The Afghans are now in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. Half of them will soon leave for the Netherlands by plane. They have now taken a negative corona test. The other half will leave at a later time. The Dutch embassy is investigating the possibilities for this. In the meantime, the group is taken care of in Islamabad.

Cooks, drivers and fixers

In August, 370 Afghans have already been evacuated from Kabul under the Belhaj motion. In that motion, the cabinet was called upon to bring not only interpreters, embassy staff and their relatives to the Netherlands, but a wider group of Afghans who have collaborated with the Netherlands. This includes guards, cooks, drivers, employees of Dutch development projects and fixers, journalists.

In September, about 50 Afghans from the evacuation list were also received in Islamabad before they came to the Netherlands. Some of them had also made the overland journey from Afghanistan to Pakistan. More information will follow shortly in a letter to the House, says the ministry.

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