Attack on diplomat: FO declines to confirm reports about suspect’s arrest

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Saturday expressed its inability to confirm the reported arrest of a suspect allegedly involved in a gun attack on Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affairs to Afghanistan Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani in Kabul.

Responding to media queries about the reported arrest of the suspect allegedly involved in the attack on the Pakistani diplomat, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “We cannot confirm these reports of arrests at this stage.”

Media reports, on Saturday, claimed that Afghan security forces arrested a suspect involved in the gun attack on Pakistan’s head of mission in Kabul.

The reports further claimed that the Afghan security forces conducted a raid on a building nearby Pakistan’s Embassy in Kabul where the suspect was living on the eighth floor and arrested him before he made an attempt to escape.

The security forces have also reportedly recovered a long-range rifle and other weapons from the flat where the suspect had allegedly planted improvised explosive devices.

Earlier on Friday, Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affairs to Afghanistan Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani survived an assassination attempt, following an attack on him in Kabul.

However, a Pakistani security guard Sepoy Israr Mohammad was critically injured in the attack while protecting the Head of Mission.

On Friday, Pakistan summoned Afghan Chargé d’Affairs to the Foreign Office and conveyed deep concerns of the government of Pakistan to him over the attack, besides asking the interim Afghan government to hold an investigation into the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Giving update on the health condition of the brave guard, Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq said: “Alhamdulillah, he is getting better. Vital signs are stable.”

“Sepoy Israr Mohammad, who took bullets in the chest to protect our Ambassador in Kabul, was evacuated to CMH Peshawar last night by a special plane. Israr displayed extraordinary courage & devotion to duty: salute to this brave son of the soil - a true mujahid. Get well soon Israr,” Mohammad Sadiq said in a series of tweets.

He said that Ambassador Nizamani and his team are working in an extraordinarily challenging situation. “Our top most priority is the security of members of our mission. First and foremost, the Afghan Interim Government will need to beef up the security of our Embassy and its personnel,” he added.

He said that the government of Pakistan will also provide necessary resources to further enhance security of our diplomats to ensure continued and effective discharge of duties by them in the most important foreign capital for Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022