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9 Afghans jailed, fined for migrant smuggling
A French court has jailed four Afghans and given shorter sentences to five others as part of a crackdown on the smuggling of migrants across the English Channel.
In 2021, the group was found guilty of smuggling 53 people, primarily Vietnamese and Afghan immigrants, into the UK aboard dinghies.
The fines ranged from €1,000 to €30,000, while the punishments ranged from eight months to six years in prison with suspension.
One of the nine, a 30-year-old man found guilty of planning the crossings, received a six-year prison term and was told to leave France once his sentence was complete.
Three other defendants received five-year sentences and €25,000 fines each. Additionally, the court mandated that they be deported later. Five other guys received lighter sentences and will not serve time in prison—the accused range in age from 21 to 39.
London and Paris have been collaborating to solve the problem of unauthorized boat crossings into Britain, which has been on the rise.
A substantial rise from the 28,000 migrants discovered the year before, over 45,000 migrants arrived on the shores of south-east England in just one year, according to the UK government.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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