Afghanistan envoy to China Javid Ahmad Qaem resigns after months without pay

Afghanistan Ambassor to China Javid Ahm Qaem resigned from his post on Sunday, citing personal and professional issues. Taking to Twitter, Qaem revealed that embassy staff h not been paid for months. He detailed how he h to scrape cash from embassy’s bank account to pay staff after Taliban took over Afghanistan last August.  

"Since we did not receive salaries from Kabul for last six months, we assigned a committee from within diplomats to solve financial issues," Qaem wrote in a letter to foreign ministry in Afghanistan dated January 1 but posted to social media on Monday.

He informed that he has left some funds for his successor, ding that “as of today, 1st January 2022, re is around $100,000 left in account.”

diplomat revealed that Chinese embassy in Afghanistan is barely functioning. He said that diplomats assigned by previous ministration were not interested in continuing at ir position after August 15, when Taliban seized Kabul. Qaem ded that several Afghan diplomats have abandoned ir Beijing posting since fall of Kabul and have alrey left China. 

"I believe when new person assigned, Mr Saat, arrives to Beijing, re will be no or diplomat left," letter said, ding that China h been "well-informed".

Afghanistan diplomatic agencies on brink of closure

Furr, Qaem informed that he h left keys for embassy’s five cars in his office and that a lone local hire h been assigned to answer queries after all or diplomats left. He said that he would lock all doors and windows of embassy and residence and give keys to Embassy of Qatar in Beijing. Qaem also went on to d that he has paid all local staff up to 20th January 2022, and ir jobs are now finished. 

It is not clear yet who will be Qaem's successor. But it is to mention that China has provided millions to Afghanistan and aid since takeover. new militant regime sees Beijing as a crucial source of investment. However, ir government is still not recognised by any nation.

This is second time that an Afghan ambassor resigned from his post after Taliban regained power in Kabul in mid-August last year. Previously, Afghanistan’s permanent representative to UN h stepped down. Notably, majority of nation’s diplomatic agencies are on brink of closure as y have run out of financial resources. 

(Image: Twitter/AP)