Pak-Afghan tensions on a high amid diplomatic row

ISLAMABAD: Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul seem to be taking a toll as diplomatic tensions have increased, forcing the diplomats in the Embassy in Kabul to limit their movement or stay on the embassy premises. The harassment of Pakistani diplomats serving in Kabul has prompted Islamabad to halt its consular operations in Kabul until further notice.

The latest diplomatic dispute between the neighbours erupted on November  3, when the diplomatic staff was "obstructed on the road and the embassy vehicles were also hit by motorcycles" in the Afghan capital.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had summoned the Afghan chargé d'affaires to convey Islamabad's concerns over the safety and security of Pakistani diplomats, demanding Kabul immediately investigate the "security violations and harassment incidents."

The Afghan foreign ministry, while responding to Pakistan's complaints on November 4, vowed to "seriously investigate" them. However, it alleged that the Afghan envoy in Islamabad was "mistreated" by the Pakistani authorities. 

"Afghanistan expresses its deepest objection and concern over the summoning of the ambassador by an important department," the ministry said, levelling the allegation. It did not elaborate any further.

However, Pakistani government has rejected the accusations. The Pakistani Embassy in Kabul announced last week it had issued more than 450,000 visas to Afghan applicants in the last nine months at an average of 53,000 visas per month. "However, there is still a large unmet demand for Pakistani visas," the mission noted in a statement.