The incident in Frankfurt, Germany, where Pakistani diplomatic mission was attacked by Afghan nationals who also desecrated the Pakistani flag, has genuinely hurt the sentiments of the entire Pakistani nation—the one which has been hosting Afghan nationals for many years with openheartedness and now feels that their hospitality has not been appropriately reciprocated, but instead ridiculed.
The fact of matter that it is also not an isolated incident. During a cricket match in Sharjah, Afghan nationals had resorted to attacking Pakistani fans in the stadium. The memories of this incident were still fresh in the minds of the Pakistani people when this yet another unfortunate incident happened.
The recent attack, which involved protesters throwing stones, vandalizing the premises, and replacing the Pakistani flag with that of Afghanistan, underscores a serious security lapse on the part of the German authorities. The German side failed to provide necessary protection to the diplomatic mission, and even when the attack was taking place, the German police were conspicuously absent from the scene to stop the miscreants.
While it is for the German authorities to bring these elements to justice so that such an incident do not recur, Pakistan must consider seriously the return of all Afghans living legally or illegally in Pakistan without succumbing to external pressure. This is a matter of peace and security for Pakistan. One cannot rule out the possibility of Afghans engaging in similar acts of vandalism within Pakistan. In such a scenario, the Pakistani people will inevitably respond, and the situation may spiral out of control.
Furthermore, Pakistan has already suffered a lot because of the presence of these Afghans. There is credible evidence of their involvement in criminal and terror activities. In addition, their presence is also an extra burden on our economy. Hence, it is important that Pakistan engages with Afghanistan not only on the security matters but also on the return of the Afghan refugees sooner rather than later.
The issue in fact does not end here. The recent attack in Bannu cantonment further underscores the persistent threat posed by terrorists operating from Afghanistan against Pakistan. Despite repeated calls by Pakistan, Afghan authorities have failed to act decisively against these elements. At her last weekly news briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra stated that Afghan authorities are aware of the whereabouts and actions of these terrorist groups. This indicates that Afghan authorities are also complicit with these terrorist elements.
Time has come for the Afghan authorities to distance themselves from terrorists and take action against them. Pakistan has always and will continue to highlight the difficulties of the Afghans at the international level, but it is also incumbent upon Afghan authorities to fulfil their responsibilities, which is ultimately in the interest of Afghanistan itself. It will be difficult for Afghanistan to attract investment and promote business if it is perceived by foreigners as a hub of terrorism.
A sustained commitment to counter-terrorism efforts will not only improve the war-torn country’s international standing but also help it shed the reputation of supporting terrorists. Pakistan and other neighboring countries will be ready to assist Afghan authorities in this regard to achieve last peace and stability in the region.
