The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's New Delhi Embassy has announced its permanent closure. The official statement by the Embassy on the X platform (Twitter) stated that the decision was prompted by persistent challenges from the Indian government.
Having ceased operations on September 30, the embassy anticipated a potential shift in the Indian government's position that would allow normal activities to resume. The embassy acknowledged awareness that some might try to depict this action as an internal conflict, purportedly implicating diplomats who switched allegiance to the Taliban. The embassy added that the decision results from broader changes in policy and interests.
Despite facing "limitations in resources and power," the Afghan embassy asserted that it has worked tirelessly for the betterment of the Afghan community in India, especially in the absence of a legitimate government in Kabul. In its statement, the embassy highlighted a significant decline in the Afghan community in India over the past two years and three months. It noted that Afghan refugees, students, and traders have left the country, resulting in almost a halving of the community since August 2021. The issuance of new visas during this period has been very limited.
The embassy reassured the Afghan community that it operated with transparency, accountability, and a commitment to fair treatment. It emphasized that its actions were guided by the goodwill and interests of Afghanistan, taking into account historic ties and bilateral relations with India. The statement further conveyed that despite efforts to tarnish the embassy's image and impede diplomatic efforts, especially to justify the presence and work of Taliban-appointed and affiliated diplomats, the committed team worked diligently in challenging circumstances. Their priorities included securing humanitarian aid, providing online education scholarships, facilitating trade, and advocating for the formation of a broad-based government to serve the interests of the 40 million Afghans.
According to the statement, the Afghan Embassy utilized its influence to apply diplomatic pressure on those who, by refusing to form an inclusive government and depriving millions of girls of the opportunity to go to school, are undermining the will of the Afghan people.
The Afghan Republic does not currently have any diplomats based in India. The embassy stated in a release that those who worked in India's capital had safely left for third countries and that the only people still in India were diplomats who were evidently attending the Taliban's regular online meetings.
Additionally, the Taliban regime's "failure to meet Afghanistan's interests" and "lack of resources" were cited by the Afghan embassy as reasons for closing its doors on November 1. The embassy also released an "unambiguously statement" in which it claimed that some consulates operating under Kabul's budget and direction are supporting an "illegitimate regime" rather than the objectives of an elected or legitimate government.
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