Pakistan’s Embassy In Kabul Attacked, Gunmen Target Chargé d’Affaires: Foreign Office
A security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad, was “critically injured” in the incident while defending the mission chief, according to the FO, who claimed that the embassy premises was attacked.
An attack on Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul occurred on Friday, and the Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan, Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, was the target, according to a press release from the Foreign Office (FO), news agency AFP reported.
A security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad, was “critically injured” in the incident while defending the mission chief, according to the FO, who claimed that the embassy premises was attacked. Nizamani was unharmed.
According to the press release, Pakistan “strongly condemns” the attempted murder of Nizamani and the attack on diplomatic grounds.
“The interim government of Afghanistan must immediately hold thorough investigations in this attack, apprehend the culprits, hold them to account, and take urgent measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani diplomatic personnel and citizens in Afghanistan,” reads the issued statement.
In response to the attack, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan stated: “The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan strongly condemns today’s attack on the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Kabul. Diplomatic missions are protected under international law. UNAMA wishes a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack.”
Speaking with AFP, an Embassy official stated that the gunman “came behind the cover of houses and started firing. The ambassador and all the other staff are safe, but we are not going outside of the embassy building as a precaution.”
On November 4, Nizamani assumed control of his post.
The event was denounced by the Afghan foreign ministry. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for the Taliban foreign ministry, said in a statement that security agencies would “seriously investigate” the incident and identify the culprits so they could be punished.
According to the statement, the Afghan government would not permit some “vested interest elements” to put the safety of diplomats at risk.
