Pakistani consulate official shot dead in Afghanistan

Rana Nayyar Iqbal was targeted near his house in Jalalabad city of Nangarhad province

PESHAWAR: A member of the Pakistani diplomatic crops was shot dead by gunmen near his residence in eastern Afghanistan on Monday evening.

Rana Nayyar Iqbal, an employee at the Pakistan Consulate General in the Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province, was gunned down by unidentified gunmen near his house at 6pm, a security official told The Express Tribune.

Rana, a resident of Sialkot district and father of five, was shopping at a local market when he was targeted. He was shot five times in the head and chest.

According to Afghanistan's ToloNews, Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for Nangarhar governor, said Rana was shot by two gunmen on a motorcycle in Jalalabad, the province’s capital.

The victim was working in the consulate’s visa section and went shopping without a security detail, he claimed.



Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Fasial said the foreign secretary had summoned the Afghan charge d’affaires to protest against the "gruesome murder" of the Pakistani official.

Pakistan condemns the killing of its diplomatic staff in Jalalabad, Afghanistan and demands increased security

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 6, 2017

Afghan charge d’affaires summoned by the foreign secretary to protest the gruesome murder of Pakistani diplomatic official in Jalalabad.

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 6, 2017

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif expressed sorrow over the "martyrdom" of the diplomatic official and called upon the Afghan government to ensure security of Pakistani diplomats.

Shahadat of Nayyar Iqbal Rana,our diplomatic official in Jalalabad is extremely sad.Afghan govt must ensure Security of our diplomats..

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 6, 2017

The Afghan ambassador in Islamabad, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, took to the microblogging site Twitter to condemn the "tragic shooting".

Condemn tragic shooting of Pak diplomat in Jalabad;called our relevant officials to extend full support;conveyed sympathies to MOFA in Islbd

— Dr Omar Zakhilwal (@DrOmarZakhilwal) November 6, 2017

In July this year, two officials of the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad went missing while returning to their home country by road. They were later rescued.

Jalalabad, the provincial capital of Nangarhar, is a busy trading hub about 70 kilometres from the main border crossing with Pakistan, from which landlocked Afghanistan imports much of its goods.

Last month, gunmen abducted Muhammad Nabi Ahmadi, the deputy governor of Afghanistan’s Kunar province, in the Dabgari area of Peshawar – a day after he arrived in the city for an appointment with a doctor.

Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Moeen Mrastyal said Ahmadi had come to Peshawar where he had an appointment with a doctor in Dabgari. “There, he was abducted by unidentified gunmen and we still haven’t heard anything about him,” he added.