At Least 15 Killed in Afghan Stampede While Waiting for Pakistan Visas

At least 15 people were killed in stampede among thousands of Afghans gathered near Pakistan's consulate Wednesday, October 21, as jostling broke out between people applying for visas, officials in the eastern city of Jalalabad said.
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READ MORE: Witnesses said thousands of Afghans had gathered Wednesday morning in a stadium outside the consulate in Jalalabad waiting to collect tokens required to apply for a Pakistani visa before jostling broke out between applicants.

A provincial government spokesman told VOA at least 15 people, including 11 elderly women, were crushed to death in the ensuing stampede. Attaullah Khogyani said that many more people were trampled, including women, as they tried to exit the stadium. He expected the number of casualties to rise.

A Pakistan Embassy statement issued in Kabul expressed “deep grief and sadness” over the loss of Afghan lives. It noted that the stadium is 5 kilometers away from the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad where Afghan authorities gather and organize visa applicants.

Pakistan has recently relaxed visa rules for Afghans to encourage people-to-people contacts between the two countries, which share a nearly 2,600-kilometer border.

The new visa policy has prompted thousands of people to rush to the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul and four consulates elsewhere in Afghanistan to apply for visas to secure medical treatment, education and jobs in the neighboring country.
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[nurse]

I am Afghan and love love Pakistan and miss alot thoes beautiful days. I dont care about haters whether u are Pakistani or Afghan and i say haters and shaitans can go to hell.

[allahtawakalvirk]

Yehi afghani phir pakistan ko galliyan dete hain

[alinuman]

Afghanistan people come to Pakistan. Oh my God

[MuhammadAli-gitw]

Hi, I am from Pakistan and my friend is from Afghanistan just because Afghanistan passport we travel to Indonesia and my friend got stop at the airport and ask so many questions there c my Pakistani passport and they didn't ask me anything but they stop my friend because of Afghanistan passport🇵🇰❤️🇦🇫

[Lilsd]

My heart just broke.. Their desperation shows how theu r trying to run away from poverty 😭 may Allah help us all

[ahsanali-jsfh]

As the situation is developing right now in Afghanistan, Pakistan should grant many Afghans with Pakistani citizenship. If not 1.5 million, so at least 0.7 million or as much possible as many Afghans knew Urdu or other language and even consider themselves half Pakistani and have assimilated into Pakistani society but proper legalities should be given to them and Pakistani people whenever we go to western country we also urge for our own citizenship and pray that we get as soon as possible and those who go through illegal means to western countries they also make ways to get citizenship/nationality. We should also think the same for others as we think for ourselves and Allah would also like such deeds and international community won't ignore this kind gesture

[redrevolution]

Ya allah raham wakay pa afghnistan pa halko.

[abasgul]

Welcome to Afghans to Pakistan, Pakistan Zindabad.