Daily Times

Afghanistan said on Saturday that the daughter of the country’s envoy was abducted in Islamabad while on her way home and was tortured, demanding arrest of those involved.

The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the daughter of the Afghan ambassador to Islamabad Ms Silsila Alikhil was abducted for several hours and severely tortured by unknown individuals on her way home. An Afghan Foreign Ministry’s statement said after being released from the kidnappers’ captivity, Ms. Alikhil is under medical care at the hospital. Ms Silsila was thrown out of the car in the F-7 sector while her hands and feet were tied, according to police sources.

Afghan ambassador Najibullah Alikhil told Daily Times that his daughter’s health is fine.

Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Khan was summoned to the foreign ministry and a protest was lodged over the incident.

In Islamabad, the Foreign Office said relevant authorities are investigating the incident.

The Afghan foreign ministry strongly condemned the heinous act and expressed its deep concern over the safety and security of diplomats, their families, and staff members of the Afghan political and consular missions in Pakistan.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the Government of Pakistan to take immediate necessary actions to ensure full security of the Afghan Embassy and Consulates as well as the immunity of the country’s diplomats and their families in accordance with international treaties and conventions,” the statement said.

“While the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following the matter with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, we urge the Pakistani government to identify and prosecute the perpetrators at the soonest possible time,” according to the statement.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri while responding to media queries regarding the man-handling of the daughter of the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Pakistan said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant security authorities are closely in contact with the Ambassador and his family and extending full support in the matter.

While the security of the Ambassador and his family has been beefed up, law enforcement agencies are trying to trace and apprehend the culprits to be brought to justice, he said in a statement.

“It is reiterated that the safety and security of the diplomatic missions, as well as the diplomats and their families, is of utmost importance. Such incidents can and will not be tolerated,” the spokesman said.

Giving brief details he said as reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad, the daughter of the Ambassador was assaulted while riding a rented vehicle on Friday, adding immediately after this disturbing incident was reported, the Islamabad Police launched a thorough investigation.

Afghan Foreign Ministry in Kabul summoned Pakistani envoy Mansoor Khan and lodged a formal protest over the incident and demanded investigation into the incident.

An Afghan foreign ministry statement said the arrest and punishment to the culprits was also demanded.

Pakistani embassy sources told Daily Times that the Pakistani envoy assured the Afghan side that his country will carry out an investigation into the incident and those responsible will not be spared.

On social media, many people in Pakistan and Afghanistan condemned the incident and called for its investigation.