GERMANY, December 25, 2026 (Indian Express): Naveen Kakkar and his wife Sheela fled Afghanistan nearly three decades ago as the first Taliban regime was ready to take control of Kabul. Later, their son, Nishant, a special child, was born in Germany in 1991. Jaganth Gerdezi, president, Afghan Hindu Cultural Association, Germany, said at least a hundred visa applications of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus are pending, of which at least 20 are from families who want to go India for “asthi visarjan (immersing ashes) in the Ganga”. “Off the record, we were told that there was security concern for people with Afghan passports…no reason for visa denial has been given to us officially,” Gerdezi said. “Their valid visas were also declared invalid and fresh ones are not being issued despite emergencies such as deaths in family or medical treatment,” he said.

Source: Indian Express February 13, 2026 22:59 UTC