Taliban appoints Ikramuddin Kamil as 'acting consul' in Mumbai

NEW DELHI: The Taliban regime has appointed Ikramuddin Kamil as the acting consul in the Afghan mission in Mumbai, in the first such appointment in India after it captured power in Afghanistan more than three years ago.In Kabul, the Taliban foreign ministry announced the appointment of Kamil, who studied in India for seven years.

The announcement comes days after the external affairs ministry's point-person for Afghanistan held talks with the Taliban's acting defence minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, in Kabul.

There was no official comment on the development from the Indian side.

However, government sources indicated that New Delhi will accept Kamil's appointment.

A young Afghan student, who the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is familiar with and who has studied in India for seven years while completing his doctorate from the South Asia University on an MEA scholarship, has agreed to function as a diplomat in the Afghan consulate, a source said.

As far as his affiliation or status is concerned, for New Delhi, he is an Afghan national working for Afghans in India, it said.

The Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on Monday that Kamil "is currently in Mumbai, where he is fulfilling his duties as a diplomat representing the Islamic Emirate".

The appointment is part of Kabul's efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with India and enhance its presence abroad, the media outlet said.

Kamil holds a PhD in international law and previously served as the deputy director in the department of security cooperation and border affairs in the foreign ministry, it said.

He is expected to facilitate consular services and represent the interests of Afghanistan in India, the report added.

Over the last three years, Afghan diplomats manning the Afghan embassy and consulates in India have sought refuge and asylum in different western countries and left India, the Indian government sources said.

A lone former diplomat, who has continued to stay in India, has somehow kept the Afghan mission and consulates running, they said.

However, the fact remains that there is a large Afghan community based in India, which is in need of consular services, the sources said, adding that more staff is required to effectively service the Afghan nationals currently residing in India.

"As regards the issue of recognition, there is a set process for recognition of any government and India will continue to work with the international community on this issue," one of the sources said.
India is yet to recognise the Taliban set-up.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, also posted on X about Kamil's appointment.

The appointment of Kamil is seen as part of efforts to facilitate consular services to the Afghan population in Mumbai.

There has been almost negligible presence of diplomatic staff at the Afghan missions in India.

Most of the diplomats appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government have already left India.

In May, Zakia Wardak, the seniormost Afghan diplomat in India, resigned from her position after reports emerged that she was caught at the Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth Rs 18.6 crore from Dubai.

Wardak had taken charge as the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to New Delhi late last year, after working as the Afghan consul general in Mumbai for more than two years.

She took charge of the Afghan embassy in New Delhi last November, after the mission helmed by then ambassador Farid Mamundzay announced its closure.

Mamundzay, who was an appointee of the Ghani government, had moved to the United Kingdom.