The government Tuesday said visa to Taliban leader Abdul Salam Zaeef was granted on recommendation of intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had no role to play. Zaeef was granted visa to visit Goa to attend a conference, sparking a row as rules say nationals from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China require background checks.
Top home ministry officials said the visit of the Taliban leader does not mean any change in visa policy and it was facilitated after requests by the intelligence agencies to MHA after which the visas were granted.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was not in the loop and the matter was dealt between senior officials of MHA handling visa requests and intelligence officials. "It was not a government decision and was totally between intelligence agencies who wanted Zaeef to visit India," said a senior Home Ministry official.
Intelligence agencies are said to have facilitated the visa for Zaeef as they wanted to understand the situation in Afghanistan and planned to speak to Zaeef to explore the role India could play once the US troops pullout is completed next year. Recommending Zaeef's visa, the intelligence agencies cited challenges India may face in Afghanistan after the withdrawal.
Sources said Zaeef was granted visa following detailed deliberations in the MHA during which intelligence agencies strongly backed the move.
Zaeef was said to be a confidant of Mullah Omar who headed the Taliban government in Afghanistan till 2001.
- Indian Express 
