FO summons German ambassador over vandalism attack on diplomatic mission in Frankfurt

In a rare move, the Foreign Office on Sunday summoned the German ambassador in Islamabad to lodge a strong protest over the vandalism of Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Frankfurt by Afghans.

The incident happened on Saturday when Afghan nationals protested outside the Pakistani Consulate in Frankfurt. Some of the protesters, as visible in social media videos, scaled the walls of the mission, removed the Pakistani flag and attempted to burn it.

According to reports, some eight to 10 Afghan nationals were involved in storming the Pakistani consulate and fled after taking down the Pakistani flag. The German police have not made any arrests so far.

Sources said that the German ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office over the incident. An official handout issued by the Foreign Office confirmed that the protest had been lodged with the German Embassy but didn’t say if its envoy was called to the ministry.

The handout termed protesters a “gang of extremists”, without identifying their nationalities. “Pakistan strongly condemns yesterday’s attack by a gang of extremists on its consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, and the failure of the German authorities to protect the sanctity and security of the premises,” it read.

The statement reminded that under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 it was the responsibility of the host government to protect the sanctity of the consular premises and ensure the security of diplomats.

“In yesterday’s incident, the security of Pakistan’s consulate in Frankfurt was breached, endangering the lives of its consular staff,” the statement added. “We are conveying our strong protest to the German government,” it added.

The Foreign Office urged the German government to take immediate measures to fulfil its responsibilities under the Vienna Conventions and ensure the security of the diplomatic missions and staff of Pakistan in Germany.

“We also urge the German authorities to take immediate measures to arrest and prosecute those involved in yesterday’s incident and hold to account those responsible for the lapses in security,” it demanded.

The Pakistani Embassy in Berlin condemned the “reprehensible vandalising act”. In a statement, the embassy said it was in contact with the local authorities that such a situation did not recur and that those responsible for the vandalism were brought to justice.

“We condemn reprehensible vandalising act @pakinFrankfurt by miscreants on 20 July 2024. We are in contact with authorities to ensure such a situation doesn't arise again & the miscreants face legal consequences. We appeal to our community to be patient & calm,” it said in a social media post.

According to some foreign media reports, German authorities had assured Pakistan’s diplomatic officials in Frankfurt of a thorough investigation into the incident, adding that some suspects had been rounded up following circulation of videos on social media and that interrogations were ongoing.

The motive of the protest by Afghan nationals was not clear. Some suggested that they gathered outside the Pakistani consulate to condemn the apparent murder of Gilman Wazir, a poet and a leader of a local political party.

The incident added to the already tense ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The latest incident triggered a debate on social media with many Pakistanis expressing their anger that the Afghans were doing this with a country that showed so much generosity towards them.

Pakistan is still hosting millions of Afghan refugees as many fled the unrest in their homeland. Many Afghans have made their fortunes in Pakistan, having set up lucrative businesses and owning properties in the country.