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MEA faces tough choice as Taliban pick a new Ambassador for Delhi 

Tussle inside the Afghan Embassy goes public as embassy staffers refuse to accept the Taliban appointee 

May 15, 2023 11:13 am | Updated 10:26 pm IST - NEW DELHI

SUHASINI HAIDAR

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File picture of the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi | Photo Credit: Afghan Embassy

The Taliban regime’s decision to recall Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay and appoint current Trade Counsellor Qadir Shah as the chargé d’affaires (Acting Ambassador) in his place has posed a tough decision for the government on the situation in Afghanistan and its engagement with the Taliban.

While rejecting the Taliban regime’s appointment could see repercussions for India’s “technical mission” in Kabul, accepting the Taliban’s appointee would be seen as handing over the embassy in Delhi to the insurgent group that took power in Kabul in 2021, but has not received recognition from any country so far.

While most countries where Afghanistan ran missions have refused to accede to the Taliban appointments, Russia, China, Pakistan, the Central Asian states and Iran have allowed the Taliban-appointed diplomats to run the missions, and even raise the Taliban or “Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan” (IEA) flag rather than that of the democratically elected previous ”Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” .