Pakistan envoy to Afghanistan arrives in Islamabad after Kabul calls back diplomats

• Pakistan's top diplomat in Afghanistan arrives in Islamabad.
• Kabul has called back its envoy and senior diplomats from Islamabad following the alleged abduction of the daughter of ambassador Najib Alikhil.
• Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed says its all international conspiracy.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's envoy to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmed Khan has arrived in Islamabad after Kabul called back its ambassador and senior diplomats in the federal capital, citing security concerns, sources told Geo News.

Sources told the television channel that the top Pakistani diplomat in Kabul arrived via PIA flight PK 250.

He was given a demarche by the Afghan foreign ministry in response to the alleged kidnapping of the ambassador’s daughter in Islamabad.

There’s no statement from the Foreign Office on why Ahmed Khan has returned to the country.

Kabul recalls envoy

On Sunday, the FO said that the move by the Afghan government to recall diplomats is "unfortunate and regrettable."

"The reported abduction and assault of the ambassador’s daughter in Islamabad is being investigated and followed up at the highest level on the instructions of the Prime Minister. The security of the Ambassador, his family, and personnel of the Embassy and Consulates of Afghanistan in Pakistan has been further beefed up," the statement had said.

It had also said that the foreign secretary met the ambassador of Afghanistan, highlighted all the steps taken by the government in this context, and re-assured him of full cooperation.

"We hope that the Government of Afghanistan would reconsider its decision," the statement had added said.

The FO had issued the statement after Afghanistan said it was recalling its ambassador to Islamabad and all senior diplomats over "security threats" after the top envoy's daughter was briefly "kidnapped".

"Following the abduction of the daughter of Afghan ambassador in Pakistan, the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan have recalled the Afghan envoy and other senior diplomats from Islamabad back to Kabul until all the security threats are removed," the Afghan foreign ministry had said, demanding the arrest and prosecution of kidnappers.

‘International conspiracy’

Earlier, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had said that the incident involving the daughter of the ambassador of Afghanistan to Pakistan "was not an abduction" at all.

"This is an international conspiracy. An agenda of RAW," he said while speaking during Geo News' programme "Naya Pakistan".

He was referring to the Indian intelligence agency.

He had said that the daughter had first claimed that her phone was stolen, "and later handed her phone over but with the data deleted".

He said that the CCTV footage of the time of the incident had been reviewed and it was found that there were not two, but three taxis that she had used.

"She took a taxi from Daman Koh and did not return home," Rasheed had told the TV channel.

The minister had said three videos had been reviewed, whereas an attempt to acquire a fourth is being made.

"The girl went from F-7 to Daman Koh and then over to the F-9 Park area," the minister had further said, detailing the events of the day.

He had said that when the girl stepped out of the home, she walked over to Khadda Market first for shopping.

The minister had said that a point in her journey, ahead of the Gakhar Plaza, is a blind spot at the moment as the authorities have not been able to obtain the footage for the area yet.

"The girl also used her mobile phone internet services while at Daman Koh," he had added.

The minister had went on to say that the photograph of the girl circulating on media "does not belong to the girl".