The Pakistani Embassy in Afghan capital Kabul said on Sunday that diplomats and staffers of the embassy had been facing harassment for the past two days.
An embassy official in Kabul said that the embassy temporarily suspended visa operations on Sunday but restored the service later in view of the difficulties faced by Afghan nationals.
Two video clips received by Daily Times show two vehicles trying to stop the car of deputy head of the mission, Hassan Wazir, and another diplomat when they were heading to the embassy on Sunday.
Wazir was forced to change his route but he managed to reach the embassy.
An official, who was on way to the embassy, said his vehicle was hit by motorcyclists, forcing him to return to his residence. He said some diplomats and staff members could not go out of residences.
Afghan officials did not respond when contacted to seek their stance on the incidents.
The Foreign Office said that the Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned to convey serious concerns over the safety and security of the diplomatic personnel of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul and its sub-missions.
A Foreign Office statement said that the Afghan diplomat was informed that the officers and staff of the embassy were being harassed over the past two days.
“They were obstructed on the road and the embassy vehicles were also hit by motorcycles while going towards the embassy,” the statement said.
The Afghan chargé d’affaires was reminded that being party to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities 1961, it is the responsibility of the Afghan government to ensure safety, security and freedom of movement to all members of the mission.
“The Cd’A was asked to convey to the Afghan authorities to immediately investigate these security violations and harassment incidents, share report with the government of Pakistan in this regard, and ensure against recurrence of such incidents in future,” the statement said.
Tensions between the uneasy neighbours have been high in recent weeks. Afghanistan closed its consulate in Peshawar last month after police in Peshawar removed the Afghan national flag from a market that Kabul says is a property of Afghanistan’s national bank.
Pakistani officials say the Supreme Court has ruled that a Pakistani national, Shaukat Kashmiri, is the owner of the Afghan Market and had ordered the authorities to vacate the building and hand it over to Kashmiri.
The two countries involved in an exchange of fire on the border last week that caused casualties on both sides. The Pakistan Army said Afghan security forces fired mortars and heavy machine guns from Nari District, Kunar province, targeting civil population in Arundu village, Chitral. Six soldiers and 5 citizens, including a woman, got injured.
Afghan officials in reported comments said Pakistani forces crossed the border for some construction and that Pakistani firing had killed three people and injured several others.
The Pakistan Embassy in Kabul announced late Sunday that consular section of the embassy will be closed from Nov 4 due to security reasons until further intimation.
