New Delhi: The Taliban has appointed Ikramuddin Kamil as Afghanistan’s acting consul in Mumbai. This is the Taliban’s first such appointment in India. However, India is yet to respond on the development.
Notably, the decision was taken days after a meeting between an Indian delegation and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the acting deputy defence minister under the Taliban regime. Kamil reportedly studied in India for seven years. Those in the know-how linked the development to the need for consular services for the Afghan community in India.
Kamil’s appointment informed on X
According to Hindustan Times, Kamil has already started handling consular service from Mumbai. The appointment was announced by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs. He posted the information on X.
Kamil did his PhD in international law. He earlier served in the Department of Security Cooperation and Border Affairs in the foreign ministry as deputy director, the report said.. He is also the only former deployed who remained in India and kept running the Afghan mission in New Mumbai and Hyderabad.
‘Kamil agreed to serve as diplomat’
As per one of the persons who know the development, there is a large section of the Afghan community in India, which requires consular services. He added that more staff is needed effectively in India to help provide services to the Afghan nationals in the country. The person further said that Kamil had agreed to serve as a diplomat in the consulate in Mumbai.
In recent times, most diplomats who were appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government, have left the country including former ambassador Farid Mamundzay, Soon after he left, other diplomats closed the embassy in New Delhi last year.
