Pakistan Closes Taliban Embassy

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, November 23, 2001

Pakistan Closes Taliban Embassy

Pakistan on Thursday sought International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) help to save Pakistanis trapped in Kunduz after Islamabad announced the closure of the Afghan Embassy, ending the uneasy diplomatic relations which existed with the ousted Taliban government.

The decision came a day after the United States government told the Pervez Musharraf regime that there was no use for the embassy anymore as the eight aid workers had been released. Announcing the decision at a regular Foreign Office briefing on Thursday, spokesman Aziz Khan said: "Yes, we have decided to close down the Afghan Embassy and the accredited staff has been given reasonable time to leave. This is not a new subject but has been under review for the last 20 days. As the situation has changed it was a gradual step to close the mission and all submissions. Yesterday, we decided to close the Afghan Embassy in Pakistan and the ambassador was notified."

Khan said that Washington's statement in this regard also stated how in the past the embassy had a need to remain open and this was not the case now. Washington made it clear that since the foreign aid workers had been released, it saw no justification for the presence of the Afghan Embassy and Pakistan obliged.

Khan said that when there would be a broad-based multi-ethnic transitional government in place in Afghanistan, the issue of accrediting new Afghan diplomats would be decided.

Taliban Embassy in Islamabad Stops Functioning: Official