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Indian embassy in Kabul resumes operations

India's embassy in Afghanistan began issuing visas again on Sunday, nearly a week after a massive bombing at its front gate killed 58 people, the ambassador said.

  • AP
  • Published: 11:38 July 13, 2008
  • Gulf News

Kabul: India's embassy in Afghanistan began issuing visas again on Sunday, nearly a week after a massive bombing at its front gate killed 58 people, the ambassador said.

The reopening of the consular section to the public was the first step toward restoring normalcy at the embassy, Ambassador Jayant Prasad said.

The embassy's consular section was destroyed in last Monday's suicide blast, which also wounded around 150 people, and Prasad said it was operating out of a new location.

Among the blast's victims were four Indians working in the embassy, including the military attache and a diplomat, although most were Afghans.

"We are doing our best to restore normal functions in the embassy and public dealings is an important element," Prasad said.

Afghan officials have blamed Pakistan's intelligence service for the blast, a charge Pakistan officials have denied. India and Pakistan are longtime rivals.

Prasad earlier said the embassy was attacked because of projects India is carrying out in Afghanistan. India has spent US$750 million in aid since 2001, he said.

One of India's key projects is the building of a road in southwestern Afghanistan that will give the country access to ports in Iran, thus bypassing Pakistani ports that Afghan trade must now use.

Another major Indian project is the building of electrical transmission lines and substations to bring electricity from Uzbekistan to Kabul.

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