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An Afghan diplomat in India, appointed before the Taliban took power in 2021 and who claims to be the only woman in the Afghan diplomatic corps, has resigned following reports of her detention on charges of gold smuggling.
Zakia Wardak, the Afghan Consul General in Mumbai, announced her resignation via her official account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, after Indian media last week reported her brief detention at the city’s airport based on allegations of her involvement in smuggling 25 pieces of gold, each weighing one kilogram, according to an Associated Press report.
According to Indian media reports, Wardak’s diplomatic immunity prevented authorities from arresting her.
For her part, Wardak did not mention in her statement the reports of her arrest or allegations of her involvement in gold smuggling, but she said: “I deeply regret that as the only woman in the Afghan diplomatic corps, instead of receiving constructive support to maintain this position, I faced waves of organized attacks aimed at destroying me.”
She added: “Over the past year, I have faced numerous personal assaults and defamation campaigns, not only against me but also against my close family members and relatives from my extended family.”
Wardak said these attacks “severely affected my ability to work effectively and fulfill my role, revealing the magnitude of the challenges faced by women within Afghan society.”
The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to Associated Press inquiries for comment on her resignation. It has not been confirmed whether she is indeed the only female diplomat in the country.
Wardak’s appointment as the Afghan Consul General in Mumbai was made under the previous government, and she was the first Afghan diplomat to cooperate with the Taliban. Indian officials said this is the first time in a long while that a senior foreign diplomat in Mumbai has been accused of smuggling.
It is worth mentioning that the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 during the final weeks of the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from the country, banned women’s participation in most areas of public life and prevented girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, as part of harsh measures imposed despite initial promises of a more moderate rule.
Additionally, the Taliban imposed restrictions on women’s ability to work, travel, and receive healthcare if they were unmarried or did not have a male guardian. They also detain those who do not comply with their interpretation of the hijab.
Middle East