KARACHI: Pakistan’s mission in Kabul has requested Islamabad to “construct purpose-built consular hall” and provide “adequate human resource” to deal with the overwhelming number of visa applicants who created an uproar outside the embassy earlier in the day, said a foreign ministry official while talking to Arab News on Sunday.
“Consular services of Pakistan embassy in Kabul are continuing smoothly,” Radio Pakistan announced, adding that officials of the Pakistan embassy in Kabul were in close contact with Afghan authorities after some visa applicants created law and order situation by blocking roads leading to the diplomatic facility.
“There was no incident involving the Pakistan embassy premises as claimed in some [media] reports,” the state-owned radio station continued.
A similar protest took place outside the embassy last year on August 18, with protesters demanding a smooth visa process.
Pakistan hosts 1.39 million Afghan nationals who left their country due to decades of conflict, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Many Afghans also visit their eastern neighbor for trade and better health care facilities.
Regarding Sunday’s protest, Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Kabul has informed Islamabad that it took place on the first working day after Eid Al-Fitr since the embassy was dealing with more than the usual number of visa applicants who had to form long queues.
“Few elements at the rare of the queues blocked the road leading to the embassy and started protesting. In response, police arrived and dispersed the crowd,” an official in Islamabad told Arab News on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“The embassy may increase the number of visa applications collected every day. It may also increase time and number of windows to collect these requests. Other than that, it may also provide more facilities to medical visa applicants,” he continued, adding these were also the three demands protesters conveyed to the embassy officials.
He also claimed that Pakistan’s diplomatic mission always tried to accommodate maximum number of visa applicants. However, it was not always possible to entertain all of them due to the growing number of people seeking to travel to Pakistan since the embassy had limited resources.
“Our diplomatic mission has reiterated that the only possible solution to this chronic problem is the construction of a purpose-built consular hall and provision of adequate human resource,” the official said while quoting the embassy’s communication with the foreign office in Islamabad.
Despite disruption, consular services in Kabul continue: Pakistan embassy
Despite disruption, consular services in Kabul continue: Pakistan embassy
- Afghan protesters blocked roads leading to the diplomatic facility on Sunday
- More resources required to deal with increasing number of visa applicants, says an official
Pakistan says it seized 32 square kilometers inside Afghanistan as border clashes escalate
- Security official describes ‘limited tactical action’ in Gudwana after Afghan assaults
- Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants as UN, China and Russia urge restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area inside Afghanistan following overnight fighting, a security official said on Saturday, as cross-border clashes between the two countries escalated sharply.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troops carried out a “limited tactical action” in the Gudwana area opposite the Zhob sector along the frontier, capturing Afghan territory after responding to attacks on Pakistani positions.
“On the night of Feb. 26/27, posts opposite the Zhob sector launched anticipated physical attacks on multiple Pakistani positions,” the official said, referring to fighters linked to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, whom Islamabad identifies as Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA).
“In response to aggressive unprovoked fire and physical attacks, Pakistan security forces launched a limited tactical action on the night of Feb. 27/28 in the general area of Gudwana with a view to capture TTA Tahir Post,” he continued, adding that 32 square kilometers of Afghan territory were seized.
The official said special combat teams crossed the border after preparatory bombardment, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets providing “real-time battlefield awareness.”
He said 24 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and 37 wounded, with no Pakistani casualties reported.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Taliban authorities in Kabul of any territorial loss in the Gudwana area.
The latest clashes erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan over the weekend, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday evening that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
Tarar said Pakistani strikes had destroyed 130 check posts, 171 tanks and armored vehicles and targeted 41 locations across Afghanistan by air. Those figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations, as well as China and Russia, have called for restraint.
The United States said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
