Pakistan Embassy says saddened over Jalalabad stampede

KABUL Embassy in Kabul on Wednesday expressed its deep grief and sadness over reports of deaths and injuring of people in a stampede near the country’s consulate in eastern Nangarhar province.

At least 15 people were killed including eleven women as jostling broke out among thousands of people applying for visa at a stadium in Jalalabad, five kilometers away from the Pakistan Consulate.

About 3000 people had assembled in the open ground to collect token needed for applying for a visa when the stampede broke out.

 The Pakistan mission in Kabul in a statement said the incident took place after applicants for Pakistani visa were being gathered and organized by the provincial Afghan authorities.

The statement said “we sympathize with the families of those who lost their lives and those who have been injured in this unfortunate incident.”

It added “we would like to emphasize again that in view of brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanis, Pakistan embassy in Kabul and consulates in Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif would continue to issue multiple entry visas to the Afghan applicants for their visits to Pakistan for family, business, medical treatment, education and others purposes.

Pakistan has recently announced its new visa policy for enhanced facilitation to Afghan nations for long term multiple entry visa which is being implemented by the embassy and consulates in Afghanistan.

“The embassy remains continued to ensure smooth and effective management of visa applicants at our end. We seek understanding and cooperation of Afghan people and authorities for better and secure management of the Afghan visa applicants.”

pk/ma