An Afghan diplomat in India, who was appointed before the Taliban seized power in 2021 and said she was the only woman in the country's diplomatic service, has resigned after being detained for allegedly smuggling gold. Zakia Wardak, the Afghan consul-general in Mumbai, announced her resignation on May 4 after Indian media reported she was briefly detained at the airport on allegations of smuggling 25 bricks of gold from Dubai. Reports said she wasn't arrested because of diplomatic immunity. Wardak said that "I am deeply sorry that as the only woman present in Afghanistan's diplomatic apparatus, instead of receiving constructive support to maintain this position, I faced waves of organized attacks aimed at destroying me."
Afghanistan's Only Female Diplomat Resigns In India After Gold-Smuggling Allegations
- By AP
Editors' Picks
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
Kabul On Course To Be World's First Capital To Run Out Of Water
2Hundreds Of Thousands Of Afghans Forced To Leave Iran Amid Crackdown, UN Says
3Iran-Israel Conflict Puts Pakistan's Diplomatic Balancing Act To The Test
4A Star Gone Missing: Afghan Singer Vanishes In Country Where Music Is Forbidden
5Taliban's Closure Of Women's Shelters Leaves Afghan Women Vulnerable To Abuse
6US Court Temporarily Halts Bid To End Protection Status For Afghans
7Bad Move: Taliban's Chess Ban Adds To Crackdown On Sports And Pastimes
8UK Data Leak Spurs Costly Afghan Resettlement And Security Fears
9An Afghan Singer, Once Propelled To Fame On TV Show, Goes Missing In Kabul
10Masses Of Afghans Being Deported From Pakistan Face Angst And Uncertainty
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
