Consulate in Peshawar: Envoy summoned over detention of Afghan mission officials

Afghan ministry says Karzai asks ambassador of Pakistan to share strong protest, concern of Afghanistan


Tahir Khan March 02, 2015
Afghan ministry says Karzai asks ambassador of Pakistan to share strong protest, concern of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. STOCK IMAGE

ISLAMABAD:


Afghanistan on Sunday summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to the foreign ministry over the “arrest and harassment” of four Afghan Consulate officials in Peshawar by Pakistani police.


“This morning, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul, Sayed Abrar Hussain was called to the ministry of foreign affairs in connection with the arrest and harassment of four of the Afghan Consulate General diplomats in Peshawar by the Pakistani police,” said the Afghan foreign ministry.

Police in Peshawar had detained four diplomats, along with scores of Afghan nationals at the University Town and its surrounding on Thursday.

Afghan officials identified the diplomats as Third Secretary Abdul Hameed Wahidi, Transport Officer Ghulam Sakhi Azeemi, Refugees Affairs Officer Dr Alozai and Noor Ahmad Haqjo.

“Deputy Foreign Minister, Hekmat Khalil Karzai expressed the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s strong protest and concern …and termed it as a blatant violation of the principle of diplomatic relations,” said a foreign ministry statement, also received by The Express Tribune.

Afghan ambassador Janan Mosazai rushed to the foreign ministry in Islamabad and raised the issue with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry after he had received a report from the consulate office, sources said.

Peshawar police had freed the Afghan consulate officials after an hour.

“Mr Karzai asked the ambassador of Pakistan to share the strong protest and concern of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with his country’s authorities and ask them to thoroughly investigate the reasons behind the aforementioned act,” the Afghan foreign ministry said.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2015.

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