The Pakistani Embassy in Kabul has been stopped from marking a Kashmir Solidarity Day event at Intercontinental Hotel, the embassy said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is observing Kashmir Solidarity Day in the country, Azad Kashmir and the world’s capitals to reiterate support of Pakistani nation to the struggle of Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination under the United Nations resolutions.
Like other parts of the world, Pakistan mission in Kabul planned to observe the Kashmir day at the hotel and the venue was decided a week ago.
The hotel management initially cited “security reasons” for its refusal to allow the programme, a Pakistani embassy official, who was involved in arrangements for the event. He said the hotel’s management informed the embassy on Tuesday around 4.30 pm. “But when we sought clarification as to why the function when the embassy had informed the invitees and made all arrangements, the hotel management confirmed that they have been instructed by high ups in the Afghan government to cancel the reservation of the hall and not to allow the holding of the event, according an embassy official.
Pakistan had organised the Kashmir event last year in the same hotel and the embassy routinely holds functions at the same hotel.
Pakistani embassy has held tests at the hotel for thousands of Afghan students who have applied for Pakistani scholarships, a Pakistani embassy official told Daily Times from Kabul.
“The Afghan government’s pressure on the hotel management to cancel the Kashmir programme. We had invited Kabul-based ambassadors from the OIC countries, Afghan political leaders, members of the parliament and media persons,” he said.
The embassy shifted the programme to the embassy and has informed the invitees, he said.
“This action of the Afghan government is coupled with the blocking of the embassy main gate since January 28 those who have pitched tents before the embassy to protest against the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen,” he said.
Pakistani diplomats are not allowed to use the main entrance due to the protest camp and use another gate.
The official recalled that demonstration was organised outside the Pakistani embassy’s entrances last October to scuttle the event of Kashmir black day.
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