Afghanistan’s ‘only woman diplomat’ Zakia Wardak resigns after gold smuggling allegations in India
- The Afghan consul-general for Mumbai is accused of trying to bring in 25 bricks of gold, each weighing 1kg, from Dubai
- Wardak, who was appointed before the Taliban seized power, has not been arrested because of her diplomatic immunity, Indian media reports say
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 reports emerged of her being detained for allegedly smuggling gold.
Zakia Wardak, the Afghan consul-general for Mumbai, announced her resignation on her official account on the social media platform X on Saturday after Indian media reported last week that she was briefly detained at the city’s airport on allegations of smuggling 25 bricks of gold, each weighing 1kg (2.2 pounds), from Dubai.
According to Indian media reports, she has not been arrested because of her diplomatic immunity.
In a statement, Wardak made no mention of her reported detention or gold smuggling allegations but said, “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 organised attacks aimed at destroying me.”
“Over the past year, I have encountered numerous personal attacks and defamation not only directed towards myself but also towards her close family and extended relatives,” she added.
