Scots rally expresses solidarity with the people of Afghanistan

Children were among those who attended the rally in George Square

Politicians and members of the public have gathered in Glasgow to express their solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

The rally in George Square was organised amid the chaos triggered by the collapse of the Afghan government.

It comes as as thousands bid to flee the new Taliban regime.

Among the speakers was Health Secretary Humza Yousaf who criticised Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's role in the crisis.

At the rally, which attracted about 150 people despite the miserable weather, he rounded on the UK government and claimed there had not been "one single syllable of regret".

He added: "All the while we have a foreign secretary who is more occupied with having pina coladas by the pool as opposed to picking up the phone to help Afghan interpreters who helped our soldiers there in Afghanistan.

"Shame on each and every one of them."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he "absolutely" has full confidence in Mr Raab and the UK's commitment to Afghanistan was "lasting".

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The health secretary also branded the plans to relocate up to 20,000 refugees in the UK as "pathetic".

He added: "Go further and go quicker, and I promise you our Scottish cities, our Scottish islands, our Scottish towns, our Scottish villages, they will welcome Afghans here as we have done for many years before with our Afghan community."

On Friday Mr Raab said he prioritised "security" at Kabul airport and "delegated" the call about interpreters to a junior minister.

But that call did not happen due to the "deteriorating situation", he added.

The Home Office described the UK's Afghan resettlement scheme as "one of the most generous... in our country's history".

Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf addresses the rally

And speaking after a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee on Afghanistan on Friday, the prime minister dismissed suggestions the UK was uninterested in the issue.

He said: "The whole of the government has been working virtually round the clock."

'Reunite with relatives'

Abdul Bostani, director of Glasgow Afghan United, urged the UK government not to abandon the people of Afghanistan and to take in many more than the 20,000 it has pledged to date.

He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland that figure was "not acceptable".

"Looking at the population of Afghanistan and the number of vulnerable people in Afghanistan, based on that we need to have a fair share," he added.

"We need to do everything we can to make sure the voice of the people of Afghanistan is heard."

Mr Bostani said his expectation for the number of Afghan refugees who should now be accommodated was "at least 35,000".

And he said parents, siblings and children over the age of 18, should be reunited with any relatives who are currently living in the UK.

About 150 people braved the wet weather to attend the event

Mr Bostani said his own relatives, including his mother, are in hiding as his tribe was heavily involved in the special forces which fought alongside the international community.

He added: "This puts us in great danger over there. We are so worried about them."

Looking ahead, Mr Bostani added: "We have been handcuffed and given to the terrorists, unfortunately, by international allies.

"But now it is in the hands of Afghan people. We need to stand up and we need to say no to this terrorism."

The Scottish government also criticised the scale of the Afghan resettlement scheme as "woefully inadequate".

A spokesman said: "We believe a commitment to a substantial increase in numbers is required, and we are urgently seeking further details of how civilians - especially women, girls and others seeking refuge - will be protected.

"As we did with refugees from Syria, the Scottish government is willing to play our full part and do all we can to help those in peril."

A Home Office spokeswoman said the Afghanistan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme would welcome up to 5,000 Afghans in the first year and 20,000 long term.

"This is in addition to the ARAP, where 5,000 former Afghan staff and their family members are expected to be relocated to the UK by the end of this year," she added.

"There is also no cap or time limit on the scheme."

Meanwhile, Scots actor David Hayman has spoken of his fears for staff who work in Afghanistan for his charity, Spirit Aid.

Since it was launched in 2001 it has provided education, health care and opportunities to thousands of children in the war-torn country as well as Palestine, Malawi, Kosovo, South Africa and Scotland.

Mr Hayman told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime: "To be perfectly honest I feel very impotent at the moment.

"We are a very, very small aid organisation. We do not have the clout or the wealth or the resources to deal with that.

"So we are really at the mercy of the Foreign Office."

He has asked for his team to send him their passport numbers but said half of them don't have one.

Mr Hayman said the passport office in the capital Kabul is closed and those who don't have one can't get out of the country.

Asked if he thinks his staff will be able to get out, he said: "I doubt it."

He added: "They are desperate. The fear is palpable. You can't even begin to put into words how they must be feeling."