Pakistan closes its embassy in Kabul after harassment of staff, officers

• Embassy said it was closing for an indefinite period.
• Foreign Office has lodged a protest with Afghan chargé d'affaires in Islamabad.

Pakistan has decided to shut down its embassy in Kabul for an indefinite period due to recent incident of harassment of its staff and officers.

The embassy said that it was halting its operations from Monday onwards for an indefinite period due to security reasons, local media reported. "Due to security reasons, Consular Section of the Embassy of Pakistan, Kabul will be closed from tomorrow Monday, 4th November, 2019 until further intimation," the statement by the embassy said.

On Sunday, the Foreign Office summoned Afghan chargé d'affaires in Islamabad to protest the harassment over the past two days of the staff of the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul and its sub-missions.

"The Afghan Cd’A was informed that the officers and staff of the embassy of Pakistan were being harassed over the past two days. They were obstructed on the road and the embassy vehicles were also hit by motorcycles while going towards the embassy," the FO statement read.

The statement continued that the chargé d'affaires was reminded that it is the responsibility of the Government of Afghanistan to ensure safety, security and freedom of movement to all members of the mission. He was also asked to convey to the authorities to 'immediately investigate these security violations and harassment incidents'.

Pakistan also requested the chargé d'affaires that a report in this regard be shared with Pakistan and that measures are taken to guard against the recurrence of such incidents in the future.