Pakistan’s response to the kidnapping and assault of Afghanistan’s ambassador’s daughter in Islamabad last week, as well as its denial of the victim’s testimony, has been described as “extremely upsetting” by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The MEA called the kidnapping a “terrible” act, noting that it included two other countries- Pakistan and Afghanistan and that India typically does not comment on such matters.
“However, since Pakistan’s Interior Minister has drawn India into it,” the MEA spokeswoman stated, “I would just want to emphasise that, even by their standards, Pakistan’s denial of the victim’s storey is falling to a new low.”
He was replying to comments made by Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, in which he accused Kabul and New Delhi of attempting to alter facts regarding the abduction, which he said never occurred.
“This is part of a larger campaign to destabilise and defame Pakistan,” he said.
Unidentified individuals seized Silsila Alikhil, the 26-year-old daughter of Afghan Ambassador Najibullah Alikhil, and detained her for many hours in Islamabad last Friday. The incident sparked a strong response in Kabul.
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, repeated the police’s position that Alikhil was not kidnapped on Tuesday, while also urging her to come forward and cooperate with the investigation. Ahmed is also said to have attempted to link the incident to India’s foreign intelligence service.
The Afghan government recalled its ambassador and senior diplomats from Islamabad two days after the incident, citing safety and security concerns.
The Afghan foreign ministry expressed grave worry on Wednesday about what it dubbed Pakistan’s interior minister’s “unprofessional remarks” on the incident.
“The ministry of foreign affairs once again expresses grave concern over Pakistan’s interior minister’s continued unprofessional remarks on the abduction of our ambassador’s daughter in Islamabad,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the MEA Spokesperson responded to a concern about the safety and security of Indian High Commission workers in Pakistan. “I don’t want to dive into detailed safety precautions.”
