At least 15 dead in stampede near Pakistani consulate in Aghanistan

Web Desk

21st Oct, 2020. 12:18 pm
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At least 15 Afghans died and more than a dozen injured in a stampede near the Pakistani consulate in eastern Afghanistan.

According to the details, the stampede occurred in a stadium in Jalalabad city where thousands of Afghans had gathered to secure visas from the consulate.

An estimated 3,000 Afghans had congregated on the open ground outside the consulate, waiting to collect tokens needed to apply for a visa.

Tens of thousands of Afghans every year travel to neighboring Pakistan to secure medical treatment, education and jobs. The two countries share a nearly 2,600-kilometre border.

Pakistan hosts about 3 million Afghan refugees and economic migrants, who have fled violence, religious persecution, and poverty in their war-torn country.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said “Unfortunately, this morning, tens of thousands of people had come to the football stadium which led to the tragic incident.”

Let it be known that the Pakistan consulate had resumed issuing visas last week after a seven-month closure because of the coronavirus outbreak.