A day after the Taliban announced its cabinet, with no representation of women and lack of adequate representation of ethnic minorities, Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday issued a statement in the name of the Afghan Foreign Ministry and “condemned” the announcement by the Taliban of its “so-called cabinet” as “illegitimate and unjustifiable”. The statement issued by Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry, which essentially represents the previous government of President Ashraf Ghani , said that “the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which emanates from the free will of the people and epitomizes the vision and aspirations of millions of citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of sovereignty, democracy, freedom and independence of their country, condemned the announcement by the Taliban”.

It said the announcement of the Taliban cabinet will result in “undermining Afghanistan’s political, ethnic, and social diversity, lead to increased tensions, and also undermine the prospect of a comprehensive and lasting peace in the country”.

It said the decision “goes against the will of the absolute majority of the people of Afghanistan”, “international agreements, relevant United Nations Security Council, and United Nations Human Rights Council resolutions and undermines the national interests of Afghanistan, including security, stability, unity, and prosperity of the country and its people”.

Moreover, it said that “it goes without saying that the Taliban have once again reaffirmed their blatant disregard and violation of the fundamental rights and important role of Afghan women and other segments of society”.

There was no immediate response from New Delhi on the Taliban announcement, nor on the Afghan embassy’s statement. The Afghan embassy’s statement clearly distances itself from the new rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban, who captured power last month, The Indian Express noted. Recognition of the new Taliban regime for the majority of the countries, including India, will become even more doubtful after the Afghan Permanent Representative to the UN, Ghulam Isaczai also distanced himself from this regime and said he owed his allegiance to the "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan".

"It is anything but inclusive,”  Isaczai said. Isaczai was appointed by former President Ashraf Ghani as Kabul's envoy to the UN in June 2021

According to sources, at least 17 of the 33 — half of Taliban’s cabinet — are on the UN terror list, The Indian Express said