Afghan Consul-Normal Zakia Wardak was not arrested as a consequence of diplomatic immunity, experiences Indian media
- Wardak was nation’s most senior consultant in India.
- Gold price round $1.9 million was confiscated at auroirt.
- Resignation leaves Afghans with out consular illustration.
Afghanistan’s prime diplomat in India stepped down after she was accused of smuggling almost $2 million price of gold into the nation, as per media experiences.
Zakia Wardak, the Afghan Consul-Normal in India’s Mumbai, confirmed her resignation on her official X deal with, saying: “It’s with nice remorse that I announce my resolution to step away from my position on the Consulate and Embassy of Afghanistan in India, efficient Might 5, 2024.”
Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi shut down in November, greater than two years after the Taliban returned to energy in Kabul following the collapse of the Western-backed authorities, leaving Wardak because the nation’s most senior consultant in India, in keeping with AFP.
As per Indian media experiences, Wardak was final month stopped by monetary intelligence authorities at Mumbai airport on arrival from Dubai — alongside along with her son — carrying 25 kilogrammes of gold.
She was not arrested due to her diplomatic immunity, the experiences stated, however the gold — price round $1.9 million — was confiscated.
Wardak’s resignation leaves hundreds of Afghan nationals, together with college students and businessmen, with none consular illustration in India.
Most international nations — together with India — don’t formally recognise Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, however acknowledge them because the de facto ruling authority.
In lots of Afghan missions, diplomats appointed by the previous authorities have refused to cede management of embassy buildings and property to representatives of the Taliban authorities.
Wardak stated within the assertion that she had “encountered quite a few private assaults and defamation” over the previous 12 months.
Such incidents “have demonstrated the challenges confronted by ladies in Afghan society,” she added, making no express reference to the gold allegations.
The Taliban authorities have full management of round a dozen Afghan embassies overseas — together with in Pakistan, China, Turkiye and Iran.
Others function on a hybrid system, with the ambassador gone however embassy workers nonetheless finishing up routine consular work akin to issuing visas and different paperwork.
Most nations evacuated their missions from Kabul because the Taliban closed in on the Afghan capital in August 2021, though a handful of embassies — together with Pakistan, China and Russia — by no means shut, and nonetheless have ambassadors in Kabul.
