At the bottom of the controversy over the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s exclusion of girls from his first press convention, is a deeper tussle between the Taliban regime in Kabul that calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and the previous democratically elected Afghan Government that referred to itself because the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which remains to be recognised by India, over management of the Afghan Embassy compound in Delhi. The diplomatic workers remaining on the Embassy noticed the press conferences, which they declare the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had inspired, as an try to seize management of the Embassy, and now say they worry for his or her lives and the security of their households. 

The MEA has constantly rejected any function, saying it had “no involvement within the press interplay” held by Mr. Muttaqi.

After outrage from journalist teams over his first press convention in Delhi final Friday (October 10, 2025), Mr. Muttaqi held a second one, inviting journalists with none gender restriction on Sunday (October 12). Even because the Republic’s pink, inexperienced and black tricolour flew on the tall flagpole in entrance of the Embassy, the Taliban delegation used the event of the press meets to smuggle in their very own black and white flags to the Embassy to make use of as a backdrop and on the desk in entrance. Russia, China, Pakistan and a few Gulf and Central Asian nations have accepted the Emirate flag at Afghan Embassies, however not one of the Western and East Asian nations that host Embassies of the previous authorities have up to now.

“We waged ‘jihad’ underneath this flag. We fought with the flag and received with the flag, and that’s the rationale we have now this flag right here at the moment,” Mr. Muttaqi stated in response to a query from The Hindu on Sunday (Ocotober 12). When requested how a lot of the Embassy they managed, given the Republic flag exterior, “100%”, the Minister replied, claiming all 5,00,00 authorities staff and mission workers worldwide now work for the Islamic Emirate. However, the Charge d’Affaires of the Afghan Embassy Delhi Mohammad Ibrahimkhil, who was current on the press convention stated the declare was “utterly false”.

The Hindu spoke to plenty of Afghan workers on the Embassy and former Ambassadors and diplomats who had served in Delhi beforehand who additionally contested the Taliban claims.

“This is a lie. Until the Indian Government doesn’t recognise the Taliban Government, this Embassy is with the Republic and our flag is flying on Shantipath. When India recognises them, we’ll respectfully depart, and hand the MEA the keys to the Embassy. Then it’s for the MEA to resolve whether or not India will fly the Emirate flag of the Taliban right here,” stated one staffers who unsuccessfully tried to cease the Taliban delegation from placing up its flags on each events. On Sunday (October 12), the Taliban put in an even bigger flag, though the workers eliminated the official Embassy podium from the stage. 

One of the workers members stated that they had earlier pleaded with the MEA that Mr. Muttaqi’s press convention be held on the 5 star Hotel in Delhi the place the Acting Afghanistan Minister and delegation have been hosted by the Indian Government. 

“We have been instructed that not permitting Mr. Muttaqi to carry the press convention contained in the Embassy would imply that we have been taking a stand towards India. We then agreed to it, as we respect the Indian Government, and so they had promised to guard us earlier,” stated one other.  None of the staffers agreed to be recognized, as they are saying their households in Afghanistan could possibly be focused. 

This isn’t first time Embassy staffers have “defended” the premises. In May 2023, the workers locked the Embassy gates and refused to permit Qadir Shah, an Afghan carrying an appointment letter from the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, into the premises in May 2023, and he deserted the try to take over as CDA.

With India now agreeing to improve its technical mission to an Embassy in Kabul, and Mr. Muttaqi’s announcement that India will now settle for the Emirate’s diplomats, the workers members stated they are going to be powerless to withstand any additional takeover, and worry shedding their jobs, and their security if they’re pressured to return to Afghanistan.

The MEA didn’t reply to a collection of questions on the state of affairs on the Embassy posed by The Hindu, and at what degree India and the Acting Government of Afghanistan would change diplomats after the settlement introduced by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar. 

In response to a query in Parliament in December 2023, then-Minister of State for MEA V. Muraleedharan had particularly referred to the “the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi and the Consulates of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Mumbai and Hyderabad [that] proceed to operate in India”. 

“Some Afghan diplomats have left India since they obtained residency in third nations. However, the remaining Afghan diplomats primarily based in India have taken over the duty for the continued diplomatic functioning of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” he added, responding to a press release issued by the final serving Ambassador Farid Mamundzay, who had resigned the place, and declared the Embassy had been shut down “as a result of lack of assist” from the MEA, and accused New Delhi of softening its place in direction of the Taliban.  

However, after conferences with MEA officers, the Embassy was saved open for consular companies for about 15,000 Afghans dwelling in India, with a skeletal workers run collectively by Consul-Generals in Mumbai and Hyderabad, who’re “aligned” with the Emirate Government. The Embassy in Delhi is the final bastion for these nonetheless pledging allegiance to the Afghan Republic, and the staffers stated they worry that the MEA’s newest selections to strengthen cooperation with the regime in Kabul, which has solely been recognised by Russia up to now, will solid a darkish cloud over their futures and that of their households dwelling in India and in Afghanistan.

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