Muhammad Sadiq, the special representative of Pakistan for Afghanistan, requested that the Afghan government “strength up the protection of our embassy and its staff” on Saturday.
The demand was made a day after an attack yesterday on Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul, which was directed at Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, the Chargé d’Affaires (CdA) for Afghanistan. Nizamani remained unharmed, but his guard suffered a serious injury.
In a series of tweets, Sadiq said: “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 assured 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”.
While Nizamani was defending the mission chief, security guard Sepoy Israr Mohammad was “critically hurt” in the assault.
The soldier “who got bullets to the chest” was “flown to Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar last night by a special plane,” according to Sadiq.
He thanked the guard for his “amazing courage and devotion to duty” and sent him his best wishes for a quick recovery.
A single attacker “entered behind the shelter of homes and started firing,” an embassy officer told AFP.
One suspect was detained, according to Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran, when security forces raced to the embassy and put an end to the shooting.
He said that weapons had been found and said further information on the clearance operation would be given later.
The attack was condemned by the Pakistani government as well as the Afghan foreign ministry.
US calls for ‘transparent’ investigation into the attack
Ned Price, a spokesman for the US State Department, demanded a “full and transparent” inquiry into the incident during today’s weekly press conference.
The attack on the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul, which targeted its head of mission, senior diplomat Ubaid Nizamani, is condemned by the United States, Price added.
“We extend our condolences and hope those harmed by the violence a speedy recovery. The attack on a foreign diplomat gravely concerns the United States, and we want a thorough, open inquiry, he continued.
Meanwhile, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to Afghanistan Karen Decker tweeted: “Outraged at the attack on my diplomatic counterpart Ubaid Nizamani.”
She said she was grateful that Nizamani was safe and wished a quick recovery to the security guard who was injured. “I join the call for a swift, thorough and transparent investigation,” Decker added.
