New Delhi (Sputnik): Afghanistan has called back its top diplomatic envoy from Pakistan in protest against statements made by Prime Minister Imran Khan that called for the installation of an interim government in Kabul to smoothen peace process in the war-ravaged nation. Kabul called the statement made by Khan irresponsible and interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
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"I'll be traveling to Kabul tomorrow (27 March) as I have been called back by my government for consultation and in protest to the remarks by PM of Pakistan in relation to formation of a new interim government which is a clear attempt of interference in internal affairs of Afghanistan", Atif Mashal, the president's special representative and ambassador extraordinaire to Pakistan, tweeted.
I'll be travelling to Kabul tomorrow as I have been called back by my government for consultation & in protest to the remarks by PM of Pakistan in relation to formation of a new interim government which is a clear attempt of interference in internal affairs of Afghanistan
— Atif Mashal (@MashalAtif) March 26, 2019
Earlier on the Tuesday evening, Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Pakistani deputy ambassador to Afghanistan and expressed its grave objection to Imran Khan's "reckless statements about the peace process and establishment of an interim government".
2/3 Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its grave objection on Pakistani PM's recent reckless statements about the peace process and establishment of an interim government, deemed such statements an obvious example of Pakistan's interventional policy
— Sibghatullah Ahmadi (@Sibghat_Ah) March 26, 2019
The Afghan government deemed Khan's statements to be "an obvious example of Pakistan's interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan". This was elucidated by Afghan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi in a series of tweets.
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Meanwhile, US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, during his another multi-nation trip on Afghan peace, will consult with the Afghan government and other Afghans about the status of US talks with the Taliban. He will also undertake efforts to form an inclusive negotiating team and discuss the next steps in intra-Afghan discussions and negotiations. The US ambassador in Afghanistan has criticised the statement by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
"Some aspects of #cricket apply well in diplomacy, some do not. Prime Minister Imran Khan important to resist temptation to ball-tamper with the #Afghanistan peace process and its internal affairs," the US Ambassador in Afghanistan, John Bass tweeted. pic.twitter.com/n3mGQk7hfG
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) March 27, 2019
