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NEW DELHI: With the Afghanistan embassy in Delhi effectively shut, the Taliban are pushing India for the appointment of their own diplomat here to handle relations with India. India hasn’t officially recognised the dispensation in Kabul but it reopened its embassy last year and has worked with local officials for distribution of humanitarian aid.
Most of the Afghan diplomats appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government in Delhi, including ‘ambassador’ Farid Mamundzay, left India months ago, seeking asylum in western countries. Mamundzay was reported to have written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier this week saying the Afghan embassy was forced to close down because of a lack of support from the Indian government.
The Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad, however, remain operational and the Indian government expects officials posted there to also handle the embassy’s work for now. The Afghan consul general in Mumbai, Zakia Wardak, said Friday that the consulate will continue to provide consular, educational and commercial assistance to Afghan nationals and thanked the Indian government for its support.
In the middle of these developments, a top Taliban source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TOI that it’s important for the Taliban to have their own official in India not just for consular services but also to build trust with India.
“There are thousands of Afghanistan students who study in India and need visas and other consular services. In addition to that, thousands of Afghan citizens seek medical treatment in India, this requires that there should be some one who is trusted and connected with foreign ministry in Kabul and efficiently tackle the issue,” said the official.
“Above all, it is the need of the hour to build trust and positive relations between the two countries, this can be achieved only by a trusted diplomat from the foreign ministry in Kabul being appointed to Afghan embassy in New Delhi,” he added.
The Taliban, in fact, had appointed a charge d’affaires earlier this year to handle relations with India but he was physically prevented from even entering the embassy by Mamundzay and his team of diplomats. Mamundzay has now alleged that the significance of the Afghan embassy here had “systematically diminished” since India reopened its embassy in Kabul in June, 2022.
According to Indian government sources, however, these developments must be seen in the context of facts like Mamundzay himself having left India for good many months ago,
As also “steady departure of diplomats to third countries reportedly after receiving asylum as well as reports of infighting amongst Embassy personnel”.
Most of the Afghan diplomats appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government in Delhi, including ‘ambassador’ Farid Mamundzay, left India months ago, seeking asylum in western countries. Mamundzay was reported to have written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier this week saying the Afghan embassy was forced to close down because of a lack of support from the Indian government.
The Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad, however, remain operational and the Indian government expects officials posted there to also handle the embassy’s work for now. The Afghan consul general in Mumbai, Zakia Wardak, said Friday that the consulate will continue to provide consular, educational and commercial assistance to Afghan nationals and thanked the Indian government for its support.
In the middle of these developments, a top Taliban source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TOI that it’s important for the Taliban to have their own official in India not just for consular services but also to build trust with India.
“There are thousands of Afghanistan students who study in India and need visas and other consular services. In addition to that, thousands of Afghan citizens seek medical treatment in India, this requires that there should be some one who is trusted and connected with foreign ministry in Kabul and efficiently tackle the issue,” said the official.
“Above all, it is the need of the hour to build trust and positive relations between the two countries, this can be achieved only by a trusted diplomat from the foreign ministry in Kabul being appointed to Afghan embassy in New Delhi,” he added.
The Taliban, in fact, had appointed a charge d’affaires earlier this year to handle relations with India but he was physically prevented from even entering the embassy by Mamundzay and his team of diplomats. Mamundzay has now alleged that the significance of the Afghan embassy here had “systematically diminished” since India reopened its embassy in Kabul in June, 2022.
According to Indian government sources, however, these developments must be seen in the context of facts like Mamundzay himself having left India for good many months ago,
As also “steady departure of diplomats to third countries reportedly after receiving asylum as well as reports of infighting amongst Embassy personnel”.
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