Zakia Wardak, Afghanistan’s consul-general for Mumbai, announced her resignation via her official social media account on Saturday amidst swirling reports alleging her involvement in smuggling gold. Wardak, who had been appointed before the Taliban’s ascension to power in 2021 and asserted that she was the lone woman within Afghanistan’s diplomatic service, stepped down following Indian media reports claiming her brief detention at Mumbai’s airport over accusations of smuggling 25 bricks of gold, each weighing 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds), from Dubai.
Although Indian media outlets reported her detainment, Wardak has not faced arrest due to her diplomatic immunity, as per the reports. In her resignation statement, Wardak made no direct reference to the reported incident or the smuggling allegations. However, she expressed regret over facing what she described as “waves of organized attacks” aimed at her, citing personal attacks and defamation not only directed at her but also her close family and extended relatives over the past year.
Wardak stated that these attacks severely hindered her ability to fulfill her duties effectively and acknowledged the challenges confronted by women in Afghan society. The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding Wardak’s resignation, and it remained unclear whether she indeed held the distinction of being the sole female diplomat representing Afghanistan.
Having been appointed as consul-general of Afghanistan in Mumbai during the previous government, Wardak notably served as the first Afghan female diplomat to engage with the Taliban. Since assuming power in 2021 amid the final stages of the US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban has imposed stringent measures, including restrictions on women’s participation in public life, education, and employment, as well as enforcing their interpretation of Islamic dress codes, prompting international concern and condemnation.
