No Indian staffer in Kabul returning: Krishna

BANGALORE - India is enhancing the security of its citizens working in the Indian embassy in Kabul and those engaged in reconstruction activities in Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said here Saturday, adding that none of the embassy staff wanted to to return home.

“We are enhancing the degree of security for our employees in Kabul and for Indians working on various projects in other regions of Afghanistan,” Krishna told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

“Beyond that, I think security concerns cannot be discussed in public,” Krishna said in light of safety concerns expressed by some of the embassy staff after seven Indians were killed in the Feb 26 terror attack in Kabul, allegedly masterminded by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militants.

Praising the 45-member Indian staff of the Indian embassy in Kabul for resolving to stay back, Krishna said his ministry would not force its employees working in Kabul to remain longer than necessary and if they continued to remain apprehensive of the security situation.

“During my last visit to Kabul last year, I asked them (employees) if any of them wanted to go back to India due to security concerns. To my surprise, not a single one said he would like to return. If any of them wished to come back out of family compulsions or health reasons, we will consider it,” Krishna said.

He quoted the staff as saying they would “live through it”, and stressed that it showed the resolve and determination of Indian diplomats serving overseas.

Reacting to comments of US special envoy Richard Holbrooke that Indians were not the target of the Kabul attack, Krishna said since the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan had clarified his comments, he would like the matter to rest there and had nothing to add.

“He (Holbrooke) was not reported correctly. And he has clarified his comments. We should allow the matter to rest there,” Krishna quipped.

The IT-savvy former chief minister of Karnataka inaugurated two e-passport seva kendras in this tech hub for issuing electronic passport to citizens within four days of applying.

Krishna also said the government had sent National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon to Kabul for reviewing the security being provided to about 4,000 Indians engaged in reconstruction work in Afghanistan.

“He (Menon) has gone there for a firsthand information on the recent terror attack, review the security and assess the situation with the Afghan government,” Krishna added.

Menon Friday met Afghan President Hamid Karzai and discussed issues relating to the security of Indians.

Menon also met his Afghan counterpart Rangin Dadfar Spanta and inquired about the progress in the probe into the Kabul attack in which seven Indians, including three army majors, were killed.