The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry appointed Mohammad Qadir Shah as the charge d’affaires for Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi. However, the embassy employees have rejected the change in the mission’s leadership.
Speaking to the Times of India, Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s political head in Doha and UN representative, said the appointment will “build trust and pave the way for better relations with India.”
The Indian government has not yet responded to the developments. However, reports suggest that it is viewed as an internal decision of the Taliban. While initial media reports indicated that the embassy was “handed over” to the Taliban by Indian authorities, it has now become clear that New Delhi had no involvement in the decision.
The Taliban has previously made similar appointments in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, China, and Russia.
The Modi govt's friendly ties with the Taliban mean that the Taliban has appointed as the head of Afghanistan's diplomatic mission in Delhi. India joins Pak, China, Qatar , Iran and Russia as having Taliban reps. MEA will try to call it 'internal matter'. https://t.co/GWfDJmYgid
— Sushant Singh (@SushantSin) May 15, 2023
Overview
Qadir Shah has held his position as the embassy’s secretary over the past few years. He is allegedly replacing Farid Mamundzay, who was appointed by the US-backed government that was overthrown by the Taliban in August 2021.
Both Mamundzay and Shah are close allies of the previous Afghan government, particularly former Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar.
Mamundzay, who has retained the position despite the Taliban’s rise to power, said on Sunday that the reports on the change of leadership of the Afghan embassy were “media rumours” and “baseless.” He further said that the “untruthful” narrative resulted from the “collapse of the democratic system” in Afghanistan.
Mamundzay is reportedly in London for a holiday. According to the Khaama Press News Agency, Indian officials asked him to forge an agreement with Qadir Shah about the power transfer.
However, according to The Hindu, Shah clarified that he was not affiliated with any “political party, group, or movement.” He stated that his appointment was made in light of “complaints against Embassy officials of corruption and non-performance of their official duties.”
"Afghans based in India" in a letter to the Islamic Emirate Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused several officials at the Afghan embassy in India of "corruption," related to a land lease agreement with an Indian company.
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) May 14, 2023
The officials in the Afghan embassy in Delhi have yet to… pic.twitter.com/KnPPMEO25s
Corruption in Afghan Embassy
Mamundzay has recently been at the centre of a controversy after a group of Afghan citizens in India addressed a letter to the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry highlighting corruption in the embassy. In particular, the letter names Mamundzay, the finance and administrative head of the mission, Ziaullah Hasemi, and the political affairs, corruption, and embezzlement director, Shakib Ibrahim Ayazi.
In response, the Afghan envoy said the embassy was not obligated to “respond to claims from unknown addresses.” However, he reassured citizens that the mission would conduct its affairs “with full transparency.”
In the statement, he also rejected the accusations as “baseless,” claiming that the employees have been performing their duties with “sincerity and commitment to dignity,” and respecting the “pride” of Afghanistan and the “will” of their nation.
Breaking: Afghan embassy in Delhi issues a release says "no change of leadership in Afghan embassy", Rejects "individual claiming to hv taken charge..at the behest of the Taliban". Full statement: pic.twitter.com/K8rCnJAjJg
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 15, 2023
India’s Position on the Taliban
In June 2022, New Delhi reopened its embassy in Kabul.
Despite these developments, India has remained adamant in refraining from recognising the Taliban regime in Kabul. In March, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that there have been no changes in New Delhi’s position on the Taliban regime, even as it welcomed the group’s representatives to participate virtually in a programme on trade and business in India.
The appointment poses another dilemma for the Indian government, which will have to assess the impact of the change in the mission’s leadership on Afghans in India who are under threat from the Taliban regime.