PESHAWAR: Afghan Consul General in Peshawar, Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir, caused outrage on Tuesday during the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference in Peshawar by remaining seated during Pakistan’s national anthem, flouting diplomatic protocols and showing what experts have called “utter disregard” for the host nation.
The conference, hosted by Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, saw Afghan consular officials in attendance. However, as the national anthem played, Shakir and his colleague remained in his seat, a move widely condemned as a breach of diplomatic decorum.
“By not respecting the national anthem, the Afghan Consul General has shown blatant disrespect to Pakistan and its people. This is an extraordinary incident and contrary to the very essence of diplomatic conduct,” said a political analyst, adding that such behaviour would be deemed unacceptable in any civilised society.
Calls for action against diplomatic misconduct
Experts have called for Shakir to be declared persona non grata and expelled from the country. They also criticised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government for extending the invitation to an individual who displayed no regard for Pakistan’s dignity or international protocol.
“The foreign ministry should take immediate notice of this incident and issue a formal démarche against the violation of diplomatic norms,” an expert suggested.
Strained relations with Afghanistan
The incident comes at a time when relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain fraught, particularly since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. While there were hopes that the historic ties between the two nations would improve under the new regime, tensions have only escalated.
Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harbouring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been responsible for a surge in terrorist attacks across Pakistan. Despite repeated requests from Islamabad to tackle the TTP threat, the Taliban administration in Kabul has remained reluctant to take action.
“The Afghan Taliban have urged Pakistan to find a political solution to the TTP problem. Pakistan did engage in talks at their request, but those negotiations allowed the TTP to regroup,” a security expert said. “Since November 2022, after the change of command in Pakistan’s military, the country decided there would be no further negotiations with terrorist groups.”
The decision has worsened ties, leading to an increase in attacks in Pakistan, further straining relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Diplomatic fallout
The actions of Consul General Shakir may add further strain to an already fragile relationship. Many are now calling for a formal response from Pakistan’s foreign ministry, with some suggesting that such diplomatic disrespect cannot be ignored.
“The onus is now on Pakistan to take firm diplomatic action. This behaviour undermines the basic courtesies expected between nations, especially at official gatherings,” a government official said.
As tensions between the two nations persist, such incidents may only serve to deepen the existing rift.
