Afghan FM talks to Qureshi on phone, discusses Jalalabad mission security issues

ISLAMABAD: The foreign minister of Afghanistan Salahuddin Rabbani telephoned Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday (today), the spokesperson of Foreign Office (FO) Dr. Faisal has said.

In his tweet, Dr. Faisal said that the two dignitaries discussed the matters pertaining to the security issues concerning Pakistan Consulate in Jalalabad.

“FM [Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood] reiterated Pakistan’s commitment towards peace and stability in Afghanistan,” FO wrote on Twitter.

While deliberating on the current scenario between the two countries, both sides agreed to continue cooperation under APAPPS (Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity) and to resolve the issues, according to the foreign office.

Afghan FM Rabbani called FM Qureishi. FM reiterated Pakistan’s commitment towards peace and stability in Afghanistan. Both sides agreed on continued cooperation under APAPPS and to resolve security issues concerning Pakistan Consulate in Jalalabad pic.twitter.com/PEMhIRHTva

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 3, 2018

On August 31, Pakistan closed its Consulate General in Jalalabad in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan over meddling in the diplomatic office’s internal affairs by local officials.

“The Embassy wishes to inform that the Consulate General will remain closed until the security arrangements are complete to the satisfaction of the embassy,” the Pakistani embassy in Kabul said in a press release on Friday.

The embassy said the decision has been made in reaction to provincial governor Hayatullah Hayat’s intervention in activities of the consulate.

“The Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul deeply regrets undue intervention of Governor Hayatullah Hayat in the functioning of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Jalalabad, which is complete violation of the Vienna Convention of the Consular Relations 1963.”