Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The Maldives has recalled its ambassador to Pakistan, Mohamed Thoha, following an unsanctioned meeting with the Afghan Taliban’s top diplomat in Islamabad. Pakistani officials confirmed on Tuesday that Thoha met with Ahmad Shakib, Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires, without prior approval from the Maldivian government.
The Maldives does not recognize the Taliban regime, which seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the U.S. and NATO withdrawal. Since then, the Taliban has faced international condemnation over human rights abuses, particularly its restrictions on women and girls.
In a statement on November 3, the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the meeting was not authorized, describing it as “unsanctioned.” The ministry added that “appropriate action” had been taken against Thoha on Saturday but did not specify further. Thoha’s photo was subsequently removed from the Maldivian High Commission’s website in Islamabad.
The Maldives follows United Nations General Assembly guidelines regarding governmental recognition, acknowledging Afghanistan’s UN representatives as the legitimate voice of its government. The Afghan embassy in Islamabad, however, reported that the meeting focused on enhancing trade and regional cooperation between the Maldives and Central Asian countries via Afghanistan.
This diplomatic incident underscores the ongoing complexities in Afghanistan’s international relations under Taliban rule.
