Afghan Embassy Suspends Operations In India: Report (Image:twitter.com/AfghanistanInIN)
The Afghan Embassy as per a recent report has closed down all its operations in New Delhi. The diplomats, who came India before Taliban took over Kabul, also left the country to Europe and US citing “lack of support” from the current Afgan administration, according to the report.
The diplomats were appointed by the previous Afghan government and is now are deficient of support from their mother country. “No support was provided in response to legitimate requests from the embassy on at least 10 occasions over the past six months”, Hindustan Times quoted the Afghan Embassy.
India does not recognise the Taliban government and has closed its own embassy in Kabul in 2021, after Taliban came into power. But New Delhi allowed the ambassador and other officials appointed by the previous US-backed Afghan government, to stay back in India and look after the trade matters and issue visas.
At least five Afghan diplomats have left India, says reports, and the Indian government is to take over the diplomatic compound in a caretaker capacity.
The Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay, appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government, as learnt is currently in London. Mr Mamundzay has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
The Afghan embassy in New Delhi has purportedly issued a communication on this issue to the Indian government, saying that it is shutting down the operations in India. “It is with deep regret that the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan must inform the esteemed Ministry of External Affairs that, due to unprecedented circumstances, we are compelled to permanently cease all operations by the end of September 2023”, reads the communication circulating on Twitter.
“The authenticity of the communication and its contents are being examined”, Hindustan Times quoted an official.
Interesting developments:
The embassy of Afg in India which was inhabited by the staff deployed by previous regime is shutting down at the end of Sept, 2023. This comes into the light when a letter by Afghan embassy staff was sent to Indian ministry for external affairs.
The… pic.twitter.com/zU4PbQAWDt
— Salman Javed (@M_EssJay) September 29, 2023
“Afghan Embassy in India headed by a pre-Taliban appointed Ambassador is now shutting down. Over 3000 Afghan students who were studying in India have been refused visas by the Modi Govt after Taliban came to power”, responded MP and All India Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale.
“And now – with this shutdown – it is clear that Modi Govt wants to warm up to the Taliban. Is Modi’s desperation for validation so high that we’re now cozying up to a terrorist regime?”, Mr Gokhale tweeted on Friday.
Modi Govt gives in to Taliban 👇
Afghan Embassy in India headed by a pre-Taliban appointed Ambassador is now shutting down.
Over 3000 Afghan students who were studying in India have been refused visas by the Modi Govt after Taliban came to power.
And now – with this shutdown… pic.twitter.com/Kvw9wXQ8f1
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) September 29, 2023
