Afghan Consul General caught with gold at Mumbai airport resigns
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New Delhi: Afghanistan's Consul General in Mumbai, Zakia Wardak, has announced she is resigning from the post over "personal attacks and defamation" after she was caught trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth about ₹ 18 crore into India from Dubai, NDTV reported.
Wardak, who is the seniormost Afghan diplomat in India, called out the "public narrative unfairly targeting the only female representative within this system".
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence intercepted Wardak with the gold at the Mumbai airport last week of April.
It is reported that though the gold was seized and a case was registered, Wardak was not arrested as she had diplomatic immunity.
Appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government of Afghanistan, India continued to work with her even after Taliban came to power in 2021.
Stating her decision on Sunday, she said: "Over the past year, I have encountered numerous personal attacks and defamation not only directed towards me but also towards my close family and extended relatives."
"These attacks, which appear to be organised, have severely impacted my ability to effectively operate in my role and have demonstrated the challenges faced by women in Afghan society who strive to modernise and bring positive change amidst ongoing propaganda campaigns," she reportedly said.
She alleged that "the persistent and coordinated nature of these attacks, aimed at defaming my character and undermining my efforts, have surpassed a tolerable threshold.’
Wardak expressed her gratitude to the Indian government for the "warm welcome and unwavering support" during her tenure.