The UK government is drawing up a program that would eventually allow the settlement of up to 20,000 Afghan refugees. Presently, the British government has declared that they would provide asylum to 5,000 refugees this year, markedly women and children. This development is followed by a heated debate at Parliament to arrive at a decision on the UK’s to the Taliban’s gain of power in Afghanistan.
UK has a plan
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that their new refugee settlement program should allow nearly 20,000 vulnerable Afghans to seek sanctuary in the UK after coming under fire earlier for sanctioning only 5,000 of the refugees. He also went on to express that the government’s motive is to unite the international community and exercise good judgment in dealing with the bestial Taliban.
The Prime Minister is also looking to convene a meeting of leaders shortly. In his talks with US President Joe Biden and some other leaders, Johnson had recently revealed that they are clear and in complete agreement about not recognizing any new regime in Kabul prematurely or bilaterally.
Package akin to Syria
The refugee plan for Afghans is similar to the one for Syria in 2015. Lawmakers criticized that the package fell short in terms of speed and numbers. UK government’s scheme of 5,000 refugees being brought in to resettle is drawing flak as it leaves the other 15,000 in the lurch.
The situation remains precarious
Johnson has revealed that the British officials were doing everything in their abilities to evacuate the citizens of Afghanistan and the UK, who have helped the British forces in the past. He claims that the Taliban has not disrupted this operation. UK officials on the ground are pushing through the movement of people while the Taliban is not restricting any evacuation.
Taliban broke in at a breakneck speed
Even the Parliament is surprised at how swiftly the Taliban took over. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer of the opinion that the Conservative government must accept its share of responsibility for the mishap in Afghanistan. He claims that the Boris government has downplayed the Taliban threat and miscalculated the resilience of the Afghan forces.
In conclusion
Similar to Biden, Johnson is facing disapproval over Britain’s haste in retreating from Afghanistan and the pandemonium in evacuation of thousands of Afghans it has employed in the past two decades and the British citizens.
Criticism has been strong from the veteran and the families of the 457 troops who died in Afghanistan fighting as a part of the US-led NATO military operations. Demonstrations are in order outside the Parliament, holding out for support to the Afghan refugees and their families.
