The Foreign Office Wednesday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission to lodge strong protest over the incident in which two Pakistani diplomatic officials in Kabul were reportedly detained by Afghan security agencies. The Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was conveyed that the incident was a clear violation of the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations (1961) and against the spirit of the brotherly relations between the two countries.

It was emphasised that such incidents undermine the constructive engagement which the two countries envisaged for strengthening of bilateral ties. "We urge the Afghan government to take immediate steps to ensure the security and safety of our diplomatic personnel and premises and ensure that such incidents do not take place in future," the Foreign Office said in a statement. Pakistan's visa section officer Hasan Khanzada and driver Munir were reportedly detained in Kabul by the Afghan intelligence agencies, while they were shopping in a market. They were released after two hours interrogation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017