Taliban Embassy In Islamabad Seeks More Funds To Strengthen Lobbying In Pakistan

Leaked Taliban documents reveal that the group’s embassy in Islamabad has requested over $36,000 to strengthen its lobbying efforts in Pakistan.

According to the documents, the embassy asked the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry to allocate $3,000 per month for lobbying activities and for "reflecting the realities of Afghan society in the media space" of the host country.

These letters are among thousands of leaked Taliban documents, recently published by an anonymous hacker group.

One of the leaked documents from the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry includes a letter from the embassy in Islamabad, requesting a higher lobbying budget.

Sardar Ahmad Shakib, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad, wrote that the previously allocated $2,500 per month was insufficient and needed to be increased.

In March 2024, Shakib informed the Foreign Ministry that the embassy had spent $8,500 on lobbying during the third and fourth quarters of 2023. He also stated that a confidential report on the expenditure had been shared with the ministry’s leadership.

In December 2023, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad wrote to the Foreign Ministry under the subject "Request for Increased Lobbying Funds", stating that in previous years, the embassy had received $10,000 per month for similar activities.

The letters highlight the Taliban’s strategic focus on maintaining relations with the host country and engaging with international figures and institutions. They argue that additional funds are necessary to support diplomatic objectives, cultural interactions, and Afghanistan’s media representation.

While the embassy did not provide specific details on how the funds would be used, its ambassador in Pakistan frequently meets with diplomats and representatives from regional and Western countries, many of whom do not formally recognise the Taliban government.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad is regarded as one of Afghanistan’s most profitable diplomatic missions, generating significant revenue through document verification for Afghan migrants, trade relations, and visa issuance.

Despite these earnings, the Taliban embassy maintains that its current budget is insufficient and continues to seek additional financial support.

According to the documents, the embassy asked the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry to allocate $3,000 per month for lobbying activities and for "reflecting the realities of Afghan society in the media space" of the host country.

These letters are among thousands of leaked Taliban documents, recently published by an anonymous hacker group.

One of the leaked documents from the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry includes a letter from the embassy in Islamabad, requesting a higher lobbying budget.

Sardar Ahmad Shakib, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad, wrote that the previously allocated $2,500 per month was insufficient and needed to be increased.

In March 2024, Shakib informed the Foreign Ministry that the embassy had spent $8,500 on lobbying during the third and fourth quarters of 2023. He also stated that a confidential report on the expenditure had been shared with the ministry’s leadership.

In December 2023, the Taliban’s chargé d'affaires in Islamabad wrote to the Foreign Ministry under the subject "Request for Increased Lobbying Funds", stating that in previous years, the embassy had received $10,000 per month for similar activities.

The letters highlight the Taliban’s strategic focus on maintaining relations with the host country and engaging with international figures and institutions. They argue that additional funds are necessary to support diplomatic objectives, cultural interactions, and Afghanistan’s media representation.

While the embassy did not provide specific details on how the funds would be used, its ambassador in Pakistan frequently meets with diplomats and representatives from regional and Western countries, many of whom do not formally recognise the Taliban government.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad is regarded as one of Afghanistan’s most profitable diplomatic missions, generating significant revenue through document verification for Afghan migrants, trade relations, and visa issuance.

Despite these earnings, the Taliban embassy maintains that its current budget is insufficient and continues to seek additional financial support.