Officials from the Afghan Consulate in Pakistan have violated diplomatic decorum during an event in Peshawar on Tuesday. The Afghan Consul General, Mohibullah Shakir, and other consulate officials remained seated during the playing of Pakistan's national anthem, prompting a formal protest from Pakistan's Foreign Office.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had invited the Afghan officials to the event, which raised questions among experts regarding the Afghan consulate's understanding of diplomatic norms and respect for the host nation's dignity.
In response to the incident, the Foreign Office summoned the Afghan Charge d’Affaires, lodging a strong protest against a violation of diplomatic protocols. A Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized, “The disrespect of host country’s national anthem is against diplomatic norms. This act of Acting Consul General of Afghanistan is reprehensible. We are conveying our strong protest to the Afghan authorities both in Islamabad and Kabul.”
On the other hand, the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar attempted to defend the actions of its Acting Consul General, Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir, claiming that the decision not to stand was due to the presence of music in the anthem. In an official statement, the spokesperson said, “There was no intention to disrespect or demean Pakistan’s national anthem. The Consul General did not stand because of the music in the anthem.”
The relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has grown increasingly unstable since the Taliban assumed power in Afghanistan. Recent border clashes have further strained this already delicate relationship, exacerbated by the Kabul administration's perceived inaction against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory that threaten peace in Pakistan.