ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra-Baloch on Wednesday condemned alleged disrespect of Pakistan's national anthem by Afghan officials and called it reprehensible.
The foreign office responded to media queries regarding the violation of diplomatic norms by officials including Afghan Consulate acting Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir.
The spokesperson said the disrespect of host country’s national anthem was against diplomatic norms.
A statement issued by the FO spokesperson said: “The disrespect of host country’s national anthem is against diplomatic norms. This act of acting consul general of Afghanistan is reprehensible.”
She said the FO was conveying its “strong protest” to the Afghan authorities in Kabul.
Afghan diplomatic officials were invited to attend the Rehmatul Alamin Conference in Peshawar by the provincial government. Pakistan's national anthem was played before the start of the conference and the participants stood up in respect but two Afghan officials remained seated in violation of diplomatic norms.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur invited officials of the Afghan Consulate to Peshawar for conference. Afghan Consul General Mohibullah Shakir remained seated during Pakistan's national anthem, blatantly disregarding diplomatic protocol.
AFGHAN CONSULATE VIEWPOINT
A spokesman for Afghan Consulate, in a statement, said the consulate officials did not stand for the national anthem of Pakistan because of music in it. It said disrespecting the national anthem was not the objective of the officials.
“As the anthem had music, the consul general and an official did not stand. We have banned our national anthem because of the music,” the Afghan Consulate spokesman said.
The spokesman said if the anthem had been played without music or children had presented it, the Afghan officials would have stood up and put their hands on their chest in its respect.
The spokesperson added that it was out question to insult Pakistan or its national anthem.
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