A safety officer walks outdoors the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi on September 30, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP
The Afghanistan Embassy in India introduced Saturday night time that it’s ceasing its operations from October 1, citing an absence of help from the host authorities, failure to satisfy expectations in serving Afghanistan’s pursuits and discount in personnel and assets.
In a press release, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi stated it regrets to announce the choice to stop its operations, efficient October 1, 2023.
“It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations,” the assertion stated.
The embassy stated that this determination, whereas deeply regrettable, is made after cautious consideration, making an allowance for the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India.
The Embassy assertion additionally listed key elements affecting its skill to proceed the mission successfully and stated that they had been the first causes for the “unfortunate closure”.
The Embassy cited a “lack of support from the host government”, alleging that it has skilled a notable absence of essential help from the host authorities, which it stated hindered its skill to hold out duties successfully.
The mission additionally cited “failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan’s interests” as one of many causes.
“We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul,” the mission stated.
It additionally stated that attributable to unexpected and unlucky circumstances, there was a big discount in each personnel and assets out there to it, making it more and more difficult to proceed operations.
“The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively,” the assertion stated.
Given these circumstances, “it is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country,” it stated.
The embassy has been headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay. Mr. Mamundzay was appointed by the earlier Ashraf Ghani authorities and he has been working because the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized energy in Afghanistan in August 2021.
In April-May, the embassy was rocked by an influence battle within the wake of stories of the Taliban appointing a cost d’affaires to move the mission, changing Mr. Mamundzay. Following the episode, the embassy got here out with a press release that there was no change in its management.
The tussle for energy had erupted after Qadir Shah, who was working as a commerce councillor on the embassy since 2020, wrote to the MEA in late April claiming that he was appointed because the cost d’affaires on the embassy by the Taliban.
India is but to recognise the Taliban set-up and has been pitching for the formation of a very inclusive authorities in Kabul, moreover insisting that Afghan soil should not be used for any terrorist actions in opposition to any nation.
Source: www.thehindu.com
