People wishing to go abroad gather in large numbers outside Kabul passport office

A large number of people gathered outside the passport office in Kabul on Thursday, claiming that their family members or relatives need to go abroad for medical treatment.

Ali Mohammad Mohammadi has a 32-year-old daughter suffering from a heart ailment. Mohammadi wants to take his daughter abroad so that she can get medical care, reported TOLOnews.

Ali Mohammad Mohammadi said his 32-year-old daughter has heart illness. He wants to take her abroad.

"I have a patient to take outside the country but we do not have passports. The department is closed," he said.

Abdul Rashid wants a passport for his wife so that she can go abroad for her treatment.

"My wife is ill. I have come here to get a passport for her," Rashid said.

The number of people applying for passports in Afghanistan has increased due to security threats, or the need to travel for medical care, or simply to run away from the country. Travelling is a civil right, which should be provided under human rights, they said.

Abdul Khaleq Mohammadi, the deputy of the passport department said that the passport office will start working from next week, reported TOLOnews.

"The system and equipment are good. No problem exists. But the issue is that the passport department is connected to some other departments and organisations like the ministry of interior, Afghanistan's central bank, Afghanistan central civil registration authority and the ministry of commerce are closed," he said.

The government offices in Afghanistan and some of the private offices are closed since the Taliban took over the country.

It is been over a month when the Taliban captured Kabul after an aggressive and rapid advance against Afghanistan government forces amid the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the country.

The country plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of former president Ashraf Ghani collapsed.

( With inputs from ANI )