ISLAMABAD – Afghanistan’s spy agency ‘National Directorate of Security (NDS)’ on Wednesday abducted two officials of Pakistan Embassy in Kabul.
According to sources, the NDS took into custody Protocol Assistant Hassan Khanzada and driver Syed Muneer Shah along with their car from a shop. The spy agency kept them in confinement for five hours, during which they were also tortured, the sources said.
The employees were subsequently released who reached the Pakistan Embassy after the latter took up the matter with Afghanistan.
The incident stirred anger in Islamabad after which Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was summoned to the Foreign Office, the same day to lodge a protest.
It was conveyed to the Afghan DHM that the incident was a clear violation of the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations (1961) and against the spirit of the brotherly relations between the two countries.
It was emphasised that such incidents undermined the constructive engagement which the two countries envisaged for the strengthening of bilateral ties.
The Foreign Office urged the Afghan Government to take immediate steps to ensure the security and safety of Pakistani diplomatic personnel and premises and to ensure that such incident do not take place in future.
