Shehbaz Sharif condemns "assassination attempt" on Pak diplomat in Kabul, calls for immediate action
Dec 02, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 2 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday condemned the "assassination attempt" on a top Pakistani diplomat, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani in Kabul and called for an immediate investigation into the case.
The attacker reportedly failed to harm the diplomat but wounded the security guard outside his mission in Kabul
"I strongly condemn the dastardly assassination attempt on Head of Mission, Kabul. Salute to the brave security guard, who took a bullet to save his life. Prayers for the swift recovery of the security guard. I demand immediate investigation & action against perpetrators of this heinous act," Shehbaz Sharif said on Twitter.
An "assassination attempt" targeted Pakistan's top diplomat in Afghanistan, Pakistan's prime minister said, as tensions between the neighbouring countries simmer.
The head of mission, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, was the target of an attack on its embassy compound, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Al Jazeera reported citing an Embassy official that the attacker "came behind the cover of houses and started firing" in the Embassy compund.
Nizamani travelled to Kabul last month to assume the position at one of the few embassies that had continued to function since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.
However, the Taliban's spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted all the claims regarding the attack on Pakistani diplomat.
"Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the attempted shooting and failed attack on the Pakistani embassy in Kabul," said spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi on Twitter.
The incident occurs straight after the Pakistani government urged the Taliban to cease terrorist attacks occurring from their territory.
Earlier this week, suicide explosion in southwest Pakistan that shocked and infuriated the country was blamed by the Pakistani Taliban, who are allies with their namesake over the border, according to Al Jazeera.
One year after the Taliban's takeover of Kabul, border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan have increased manifold with no thaw in sight anytime soon, reported Voice of Vienna.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August last year, triggering the collapse of the US-backed government and accelerating Washington's troop pullout.
