Afghanistan summons Pakistani envoy over ex-governor’s abduction

Afghanistan Deputy Foreign Minister urges Islamabad to take immediate steps for Sayed Fazalullah Wahidi's recovery

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan government has summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul to express concerns over the kidnapping of former governor of Herat province in Islamabad, Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Unidentified men on Friday “kidnapped” Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi, who was out shopping with his 12-year-old grandson at the Rana market, Afghan embassy in the federal capital said in a police report.



“Afghanistan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai called Pakistan ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain to the Foreign Ministry and shared his deep concerns at the kidnapping of Sayed Fazalullah Wahidi, former governor of Heart in Islamabad,” an Afghan Foreign Ministry statement read.

According to the statement, the Afghan deputy foreign minister strongly condemned the incident and said Wahidi is an important Afghan national. “The government of Afghanistan expects Pakistan to fulfil its responsibility and use all resources to take immediate steps for the recovery of Wahidi and investigate as to which group was involved in his abduction,” the statement quoted Hekmat Karzai as saying.

The Islamabad Police on Saturday said they had made a headway in the case, but some diplomatic sources claim the police have not been able to trace whereabouts of the former Afghan governor. Further, a police official said the former governor had been staying at a guesthouse in Islamabad’s F-7 sector.



The influential Afghan leader had earlier arrived in Islamabad, along with his family, to get visas to travel to UK as British embassy in Kabul does not directly issue visas to Afghan nationals.

Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shakib Ahmad Mustaghni said on Friday that Pakistani authorities assured the Afghan government that they would investigate Wahidi’s abduction and share details with Kabul. "The Islamabad police and the Pakistani Foreign Ministry will investigate and the results will be shared with the Afghan embassy in Islamabad," he said.

Afghan ambassador Dr Zakhilwal had told The Express Tribune that he was in contact with Islamabad on the incident. “I am in touch with the relevant key officials at the top and I have been given assurances that they would follow this on their end with utmost seriousness.”

Fazalullah Wahidi remained very close to former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and also served as governor of Kunar province. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has also showed concerns at Wahidi's abduction and urged the Pakistani government to use all resources to recover the senior Afghan leader.



In a statement Karzai also asked the British government to issue visas in Afghanistan so they do not have to travel to other countries for getting visas.