BEIJING – Afghanistan’s ambassador to China Javid Ahmed Qaem resigned from the post as the diplomatic staff in Beijing had not been paid for months.
Taking to Twitter, Qaem shared a note he has penned for his post-Taliban takeover successor, explaining how he had utilised cash from the embassy’s bank account to pay staff after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August.
“Since we did not receive salaries from Kabul for the last six months, we assigned a committee from within the diplomats to solve the financial issues,” Qaem wrote in a letter to Afghanistan’s foreign ministry dated January 1.
“As of today, 1st January 2022, there is around $100,000 left in the account.”
He did not share details about where he was going next.
The end to an honorable responsibility: I quit my job as Ambassador. It was an honor to represent AFG 🇦🇫 and my people.There are many reasons, personal and professional, but I don’t want to mention them here. I have handed over everything smoothly through a handover note. pic.twitter.com/a4A6y7yOBP
— Javid Ahmad Qaem (@JavidQaem) January 10, 2022
“There are five cars (001, 002, 022, 026, 003) at the Embassy. They are parked in front of the main building. The keys of the cars will be in my office. There are two old cars that need to be scrapped.
“I have paid all the local staff up to 20th Jan, 2022. Their jobs are finished,” read the note.
He said that the doors of the embassy and residence have been locked except one room for receptionist, adding that keys for the offices had been left with Qatar’s embassy in Beijing.
He added that a lone local hire had been assigned to answer queries after all the other diplomats left.
Many embassies of Afghanistan are in diplomatic limbo following the change of power in their home country since the Taliban toppled Western-backed government in August 2021.
Taliban appoint diplomatic staff at Afghan embassy, consulates in Pakistan
