LONDON: A British Afghan girl, 8, has been left stranded in Afghanistan due to a 鈥渓ack of concern鈥� by the UK government, family lawyers told The Independent newspaper.

The girl鈥檚 parents are in Britain and are making urgent appeals to have their daughter relocated.

Relatives of the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are looking after her in Kabul, but say that she has not attended school since the Taliban takeover last year.

鈥淲e are like prisoners in our own home. We鈥檙e too scared to go out. Our financial situation has also worsened. We have no income, no jobs. It鈥檚 getting worse day by day,鈥� said her uncle.

鈥淩ecently, the Taliban鈥檚 house searches have increased. They鈥檙e going door to door, going inside and looking for evidence of families being in touch with relatives abroad.鈥�

The girl鈥檚 mother, living in London, said: 鈥淚鈥檓 really worried, especially when I hear the news that things are getting worse. I鈥檓 trying anything that I can to get her out and here with me.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 even know how to describe how I feel. She鈥檚 on my mind every minute, every second of the day, I see her in front of my eyes. I鈥檓 continually worrying about what she鈥檚 going through.鈥�

The girl鈥檚 father has British citizenship, and the family applied for citizenship for their daughter in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2020, to no avail.

Lawyers say that a 鈥渃ombination of error and unlawful decision-making鈥� by the UK Home Office led to the denial of citizenship to the girl, and that 鈥渁n indifference that is simply incomprehensible鈥� has now left her stranded in Afghanistan.

Following legal battles and an appeal by the family last year, a passport was issued for the girl, but it is held in the UK and unable to be sent to Kabul due to the Taliban presence.

Lawyers are now demanding that the UK government provide the girl with emergency travel documents, which could allow her to be reunited with her parents in London.

A member of Parliament has also become involved in the appeal.

Labour MP Lyn Brown told The Independent: 鈥淚n the cold light of day, they (the government) surely have to turn their minds to this little girl, who is stuck in Afghanistan through no fault of her own, no fault of her mother, but because of a Home Office blunder.

鈥淐ircumstances in the country are deteriorating further and we need ministers to act with urgency to bring her home.鈥�

The solicitor representing the girl鈥檚 family, Rebecca Morris, said: 鈥淭he attitude taken by the government to my client 鈥� the abject lack of concern for a young British girl trapped in Kabul 鈥� has been disturbing and disappointing at every step of this case.

鈥淭he indifferent and careless response our requests for help have met has been incomprehensible. Ministers and government departments promised to shift heaven and earth for those left behind when the evacuation ended.鈥�