News Desk
MALÉ, Maldives — The Maldivian ambassador to Pakistan, Mohammad Thoha, has quietly returned to Islamabad after a yearlong absence, reigniting questions about the country’s diplomatic posture toward Afghanistan’s Taliban government.
Thoha was recalled to Malé in November last year after meeting a Taliban representative in Pakistan, a move that prompted speculation over whether the Maldives was edging toward recognition of the Taliban regime. His return to Pakistan this month, confirmed in a post by the Maldivian High Commission in Islamabad, has not yet been explained by the government here.
According to the commission’s statement, Thoha met Turkmenistan’s ambassador to Pakistan, Atadyan Movlamov, at the mission’s offices. The announcement made no mention of Afghanistan, but the timing has drawn renewed scrutiny of Maldivian foreign policy.
Last October, Thoha held talks in Islamabad with Afghanistan’s envoy to Pakistan, Sardar Ahmed Shakeeb. That meeting, which took place without authorization from Malé, triggered a sharp response from the Foreign Ministry. Officials stressed that the Maldives adheres to United Nations standards in recognizing governments and continues to regard Afghanistan’s UN representative — not the Taliban — as the country’s legitimate voice.
“The envoy met Ambassador Thoha without the permission of the Maldivian government, and action was taken against him,” the ministry said in a statement at the time.
The Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. and British forces after two decades of war. Four years on, the regime remains unrecognized by most governments and international organizations, including the Maldives.
Thoha, who previously served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, presented his credentials to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in August last year.
