India – Zakia Wardak, the Afghan Consul General in Mumbai, India, announced her resignation after reports emerged in the Indian media that she had been detained on charges of gold smuggling.
Zakia Wardak is considered the only woman in the Afghan diplomatic corps, and she was appointed before the Taliban seized power in 2021.
Wardak announced her resignation in a post on the “X” platform yesterday, Saturday, after Indian media reported last week that she was briefly detained at the city’s airport on charges of smuggling 25 pieces of gold, each weighing one kilogram.
According to Indian media reports, she was not arrested due to her diplomatic immunity.
Wardak did not mention what was reported about her arrest or the allegations of gold smuggling, and she wrote on “Eki”: “I am deeply sorry that I am the only woman in the Afghan diplomatic corps, and instead of receiving constructive support to maintain this position, I faced waves of organized attacks aimed at destroying me.” .
She added: “Over the past year, I have faced numerous personal attacks and defamation not only against me but also against my close family and extended relatives.”
“It greatly impacted my ability to work effectively in my role and demonstrated the challenges women face in Afghan society,” Wardak said.
According to Indian laws, if the value of the smuggled gold exceeds $100,000, the suspect must be arrested and face criminal charges.
The independent Afghan newspaper “Hasht Subh” said, “It is not clear where Zakia Wardak got this gold from,” adding that she is currently outside Mumbai and busy with her treatment.
Indian officials said this was the first time in a long time that a senior foreign diplomat in Mumbai had been charged with smuggling.
Source: A B + Agencies
#Afghan #diplomat #submits #resignation #detained #India #charges #smuggling #kilos #gold
2024-05-06 13:33:37