Islamabad, December 15, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, while presiding over the meeting on Thursday here at Parliament House expressed serious reservations over the recent assassination attempt on a Pakistani Envoy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Concerning Afghanistan’s attitude towards Pakistan, Senator Farooq Naek underlined that there is a dire need for Pakistan to revisit its policy towards Afghanistan.
He added that we are functioning as a spokesperson of Afghanistan in the world, but on contrary, the Afghan government often opposes Pakistan and raises guns against us which is very unfortunate. The Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Asad Majeed, while briefing the panel over the recent assassination attack on the Pakistani Envoy in Kabul said that the Pakistani ambassador was walking in the embassy yard when he was attacked.
He explained that 8 Sniper shots and 100 rounds of bullets were fired at the distance of 100 meters from the eighth floor of a building in the vicinity of the embassy’s compound. Thankfully, it was not a physical intrusion, and miraculously, the Pakistani ambassador remained safe.
One suspect has been arrested by the Afghan government and an investigation regarding the incident is underway, he maintained. He further said that the Afghan government has assured that the perpetrator of the incident will not be spared in any case. IS Khorasan has claimed responsibility for the incident, he underscored. Secretary MoFA reiterated that Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan as peace and stability in Afghanistan are indispensable for Pakistan.
Additional DG FIA also briefed the Committee on problems being faced by the Pakistani community living in Rwanda as raised by the notables of the community during a meeting with the Pakistani delegation led by Farooq Hamid Naek.
Chairman Committee expressed serious reservations over the harassment of the Pakistani community living in Rwanda by FIA officials at the airports while visiting Pakistan. Pakistani community when on their way back to Rwanda are being harassed by the FIA officials at the airport, contrary to the fact that Pakistanis have a visa-on-arrival facility. Such an attitude of FIA is regrettable, Senator Farooq said.
The Chairman Committee handed over the written complaints received from the Pakistani High Commissioner in Rwanda to the FIA officials and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked for a detailed written reply to all the complaints in the next meeting.
The matter pertaining to the detail of the number of Pakistani embassies, consulates and missions presently working abroad and the grade-wise details of each staff including ambassadors and consular working therein with the break-up belonging to the minorities with particular reference to Balochistan domicile, raised by Senator Danesh Kumar was disposed-of.
Senators Saadia Abbasi and Zarqa Soharqardy Taimur attended the meeting. Secretary MoFA, Asad Majeed, DG Afghanistan MoFA, Additional Secretary Parliamentary Af-fairs MoFA, Additional DG FIA, and other officials concerned were also in attendance.
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