On Sunday (July 18), Afghanistan recalled its ambassador and all diplomats from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in response to the kidnapping and torture of Silsila Alikhil. Silsila is the daughter of Afghan ambassador Najibullah Alikhil who was kidnapped and left on a roadside in Pakistan after hours of torture.
In a statement released by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Afghan government has stated, “Following the abduction of the Afghan ambassador’s daughter in Pakistan, the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan called back Afghanistan’s ambassador and senior diplomats from Pakistan until all security threats are addressed including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of abduction.”
Afghan Ambassador and Senior Diplomats to Islamabad Called Back to Kabul
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Afghanistan 🇦🇫 (@mfa_afghanistan) July 18, 2021
July 18, 2021
————————–https://t.co/jUZDre0Tpv pic.twitter.com/ftReqZYUgL
It further informed, “An Afghan delegation will visit Pakistan soon to assess and follow up on the case and all related issues; subsequent actions will follow based on the findings.” While confirming the development, Afghan Vice-President Amrullah Saleh conceded that the abduction case had wounded and tortured the conscience of the nation.
President @ashrafghani instructed @mfa_afghanistan to call back our ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats. The abduction of Afgh ambassador’s daughter & her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured.
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 18, 2021
He tweeted, “President Ashraf Ghani instructed Ministry of Foreign Affairs to call back our ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats. The abduction of Afghan ambassador’s daughter & her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured.”
The Background of the case
Silsila Alikhil, the daughter of the Afghan ambassador in Pakistan Najibullah Alikhil, was abducted on 16th July in Islamabad and was found after several hours. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, it said that Silsila Alikhil was tortured while in captivity. She was abducted by several unknown individuals from Jinnah Super in Islamabad on Friday. After being tortured at some unknown location, she was released near Tehzeeb Bakery in the Blue Area of Islamabad.
According to the medical examination report, Silsila Alikhil had pain and swelling at wrist joints and hands. There were rope marks on the wrist joints as well. She also had similar pain and rope marks on her legs and ankle joints. The woman also had swelling around her eyes, and she was found vomiting and bleeding from the ENT region. On Sunday (July 18), a case of kidnapping was lodged at the Koshar police station in Islamabad. Charges were filed under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Sections 34 (common intent), 365 (kidnapping), 354 (assault with intent to outrage her modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the law enforcement agencies, Islamabad police and Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed to investigate the abduction case within 48 hours. He also pleaded with all the agencies to work in tandem with the federal police in catching the accused. On Sunday, a large group of Afghans protested outside the Pakistan embassy in Kabul. The demonstrators raised slogans against the Pakistani military-backed establishment for failing to protect Silsila Alikhil.
