(MENAFN- Khaama Press) Zakia Wardak, Afghanistan's Consul General in India, resigned from her diplomatic position after a significant amount of gold concealed under her customized jacket was intercepted at Mumbai airport. The Embassy of Afghanistan in India also confirmed that Ms Wardak had been accused of smuggling 25 kilograms of gold.
In its initial response to reports indicating Zakia Wardak was the first foreign diplomat in India to be accused of smuggling a large amount of gold, the Embassy of Afghanistan confirmed the accusation in a statement that Ms. Wardak acted under her diplomatic capacity from the Taliban regime and had no connection to the previous government's mission in India.
According to Indian media reports, Zakia Wardak concealed 25 bricks of gold (each weighing one kilogram) under and between her clothes during a flight from the United Arab Emirates to Mumbai late last week (Friday, April 25th), which was intercepted by Mumbai airport security forces.
The Times of India reported that she might be the first foreign diplomat to smuggle such a quantity of gold using a diplomatic passport that grants immunity. It is worth mentioning that Zakia Wardak, due to her possession of a diplomatic passport granting immunity to diplomats, has not been detained at least for now, but Indian media reports indicate that a gold smuggling case has been filed against her.
Zakia Wardak resigned from her diplomatic position shortly after reports of gold smuggling surfaced, but her resignation letter did not mention the gold smuggling issue. However, the Embassy of Afghanistan in India has introduced her as a representative of the Taliban administration.
The embassy stated that the diplomatic presence of the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi officially ended in November 2023 due to what is interpreted as the rejection of visa extensions for diplomats in India, and those who have been active as diplomats in India since that date, including Zakia Wardak, have followed the orders of the Taliban.
The Taliban regime also confirmed its communication with the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi in late November last year, stating that Afghan diplomats in India follow the orders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but this ministry has not yet commented on Zakia Wardak's gold smuggling.
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