New Delhi : A day after the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi announced its permanent closure due to "persistent challenges from the Indian government", sources in the MEA told ETV Bharat that "The Embassy in New Delhi will be restarting it's operations from Monday" and that "none of the Afghan official affiliated to the Taliban will be assigned any work."
"Although the embassy has been closed but we are in constant touch with the Afghan diplomats posted in the Consulates of Mumbai and Hyderabad. So, we'll be re-opening the Embassy in New Delhi from Monday and that will be taken care of by diplomats from Mumbai and Hyderabad Consulates. This includes Ms Zakia Wardak, Consul General (Mumbai) and Mr Ibrahimkhil (Hyderabad Consul)", the sources confirmed.
When being asked to comment on the status of the embassy and the new Ambassador, the source replied that "As of now, we don't have a full time ambassador but there will be a chargé d'affaires from either Mumbai or Hyderabad consulate."
It is pertinent to note here that the former Ambassador Farid Mamundzay in his letter had written that all the Afghan diplomats have left India and only those who are affiliated with Taliban are still in India.
It is worthy to note here that a couple of months back it was said that the Taliban in April had appointed Qadir Shah, who had been working as a trade councillor at the Afghan embassy since 2020, to head the mission. But this was later refuted by the officials and was stalled by other diplomats at the mission. This whole chapter back then portrayed the internal conflict within the Embassy.
Ambassador Farid Mamundzay who is London now, was appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government back in 2021 before the fall of the US-backed government, followed by the dramatic takeover by the Taliban after 20 years. This reported tried to reach to Amb Mamundzay but he was unavailable for the comments.
To a question on whether Qadir Shah is in Delhi or in India, the source replied that, "The letter shared by the former Ambassador is full of lies. New Delhi will never appoint an envoy affiliated to the Taliban. All the Afghan diplomas who are still in India are affiliated to Ashraf Ghani's regime. The last time we had a conversation with Qadir Shah, back then he was in Turkey. We don't know where he is now."
"Also, as many as 18 staff members haven't been paid since the last three months, so we are also looking after this issue", he added. It is pertinent to note here that in an official statement on the closure of its diplomatic mission in the national capital, the Afghan embassy said, "Effective from November 23, owing to persistent challenges from the Indian government."
"The decision follows the embassy's earlier cessation of operations on September 30, a move made in the hope that the Indian government stance will favourably change to let the mission operate normally," the statement reads. While, New Delhi since the takeover by the Taliban has not recognised them but is maintaining contacts with them by maintaining a diplomatic presence there and has also been sending humanitarian aid.
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