Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai has said that due to the Taliban’s policies, Afghanistan is gradually becoming isolated from the world, while avenues for Afghan citizens to travel abroad, pursue education, find employment, and seek medical treatment are increasingly being restricted.
In a post on the social media platform X, Sami Yousafzai, referring to the visa policies of various countries, said that Saudi Arabia has also imposed restrictions on Umrah visas for Afghan citizens, while strict restrictions are in place on Afghan citizens obtaining tourist visas for the United Arab Emirates and Dubai.
He claimed that Pakistan has stopped issuing visas to Afghan citizens, while obtaining visas for Afghans has also become difficult in Iran, India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. According to him, Turkey has also suspended the issuance of visas to Afghan citizens, while diplomatic access for Afghan passport holders in Europe and the United States is also extremely limited.
The Afghan journalist questioned where Afghan citizens would go for travel, tourism, medical treatment, and education if the doors of various countries continue to be closed or restricted to them.
Sami Yousafzai said that along with limited travel and employment opportunities for Afghan citizens, access to education and normal relations with the rest of the world are also being affected.
Addressing the Afghan Taliban, he said that a country is not a prison for its people but the home of a nation. Afghanistan and its citizens should not become so isolated from the world that they face rejection at the doors of every country and are viewed solely through the lens of the Taliban.
Sami Yousafzai further said that Afghanistan is part of the world, not a forgotten or ownerless island, and that Afghan citizens have the right to maintain relations with people around the world and to have access to opportunities for travel, education, and employment.
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