Pakistan minister says Afghan envoy's daughter wasn't kidnapped; urges her to join probe
Islamabad, Jul 20: Pakistan's Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid on Tuesday reiterated the police's claim that the daughter of Afghanistan's ambassador was not kidnapped even as he urged her to come forward and join the probe, in a case that has further soured relations between the two neighbours.
His statement came a day after the police in Islamabad said that they have found no evidence that Silsila Alikhil, the 26-year-old daughter of Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan Najibullah Alikhil, was abducted from the capital city, an incident that has triggered a major diplomatic row between the two neighbouring nations.
The minister told the media that she used four different taxis to commute to different locations in Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi and police have all details of her travels.
Nobody sat in her car. There is no case of kidnapping. We have given FIR as per laws. And hope that she will join the probe and come forward to recognise the four tax drivers whose vehicles she used on that day, Rashid said.
He said that the Pakistan government was fighting her case but it would have been better if the Afghan ambassador and his daughter had not gone back.
The minister said that the complete footage and other relevant details were given to the Foreign Office which will decide whether to share it with the diplomatic community in Islamabad.
Ambassador's daughter Alikhil was abducted, tortured and assaulted on Friday by unknown persons in Islamabad. She was abducted while riding a rented vehicle and was held for several hours before being released. She was found near F-9 Park area of the capital with torture marks on her body.
The kidnapping and assault incident has soured the ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. On Sunday, the diplomatic crisis between the two nations deepened after Kabul announced that it will withdraw its ambassador and other senior staff from Islamabad.
Pakistan also called back its ambassador to Afghanistan for "consultations" on the alleged abduction and release of the Afghan envoy's daughter.
Meanwhile, Rashid said that Pakistan would accept the decision of the people of Afghanistan on the formation of the government in Kabul and that Pakistan was ready to deal with any type of fallout.
More than 90 per cent fencing on the Afghan border has been done and there is no fear as our Army and security agencies are on our side of the border to deal with any situation, he said.
On a separate question, he said that Pakistan has completed its probe into the recent deadly bomb blast targeting Chinese workers in the country's northwest and the government of China was fully satisfied with it.
Rashid said that Pakistan was facing hybrid warfare as proved by the timing of various recent incidents.
He said that the bombing incident in Lahore (in front of the house of Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Sayeed) took place before a key meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Paris-based anti-money laundering watchdog.
The Interior Minister said that the blast targeting Chinese workers occurred before a high-level meeting of Pakistan and Chinese officials and the alleged abduction of the daughter of the Afghan ambassador occurred ahead of a peace conference Pakistan was scheduled to host.
Rashid said that Pakistan would tackle all threats and continue to move forward despite security challenges.
Pakistan and Afghanistan often trade accusations, with Kabul claiming Islamabad is sending thousands of militants to fight in the war-torn country and providing safe haven for the Taliban.
Pakistan, in turn, claims that Afghanistan harbours the anti-Pakistani group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan - the Pakistani Taliban - and also the secessionist Balochistan Liberation Army.
Afghanistan has seen an uptick in violence after US President Joe Biden's announcement of the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the war-torn country.
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Exercise caution about unseaworthy vessels: A V Ramana
New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) President A V Ramana has advised the Indian Coast Guard and the agents of cargo ships to exercise caution about unseaworthy vessels which seek help during emergencies in Indian or international maritime boundaries. He was speaking at a workshop on maritime emergencies, organized by NMPA at a private hotel in Mangaluru on Monday.
“Unseaworthy commercial vessels, without any fitness certificate, operated in the seas throughout the year. But when they face any trouble during inclement weather or cyclones they send emergency alert signals through local agents requesting entry to Indian ports. Our ports and government will be in trouble because of this. Many such ships sink in the middle of the sea during their journey. Our ports will face pollution, along with other problems, in these situations”, A V Ramana said.
He explained how other ships calling at the port will face problems when such unfit vessels sink in the middle of sea. Alleging that such unseaworthy ships get fitness certificates from those countries which have lenient laws, A V Ramana stated that they benefit from the loopholes in Indian legal system. “So when such vessels seek assistance during emergencies, ensure that they possess international insurance”, he added.
A V Ramana stated that “Directorate General of Shipping grants fitness certificates to commercial vessels in India. But all vessels need not get the certificate from the DG itself. The ships may get fitness certificate from countries with more lenient laws. Those who wish to make quick and illegal money get the fitness certificate from foreign countries”.
The NMPA president said that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) had been brought out to assist ships in emergencies, which was also brought to the notice of Directorate General of Shipping, Additional Secretary for Shipping and District Disaster Management Authority. “This SOP will help avoid confusions and reduce pollution. It will also help us to stop unseaworthy vessels”, he said.
Assistant Conservator of Mormugao Port Authority Captain Manoj Joshi, Environmental Advisor to the Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways Dr R D Tripathi were the main speakers in the workshop.
Dakshina Kannada DC Mullai Muhilan, who inaugurated the event, said that development of port would complement local development. “Mangalore is a port city. All issues related to port connectivity will be resolved once the work on NH 75, which connects the city to the state capital, is completed. NMPA has come forward to partner with the work of a truck terminal in Mangaluru”, he added.
