(Web Desk Monitoring) — The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday denied the authenticity of a report circulating on social media about Germany handing over individuals involved in the attack on the Pakistani consulate in Frankfurt.
When asked whether the suspects involved in the vandalism were handed over to Pakistan, as claimed in a report on social media, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch dismissed the report as “fake news.”
On July 20, dozens of miscreants attacked the Pakistani consulate during a protest in Frankfurt, leading to the arrest of two suspects by German police. Reports indicated that German authorities had permitted Afghan nationals to hold a peaceful protest, which turned violent as participants lobbed stones at the consulate building and removed the country’s flag, heightening tensions.
Following the arrests of the two Afghan nationals, German police anticipated more arrests as they continued to identify additional protesters with the help of video footage.
The day after the incident, Pakistan condemned the attack by extremists on its consulate and criticized the German authorities for failing to protect the sanctity and security of the consular mission premises. Pakistan summoned Germany’s senior-most diplomat to register a strong protest over the incident.
The FO statement emphasized that the responsibility to protect diplomatic premises and ensure the security of diplomats falls under the host government, as per the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963. “We are conveying our strong protest to the German government and urge them to take immediate measures to fulfill their responsibilities under the Vienna Conventions,” the Foreign Office stated.
Pakistan also urged the German authorities to take immediate action to arrest and prosecute those involved in the incident and hold accountable those responsible for the security lapses.
The situation garnered significant international attention, raising concerns about the diplomatic security of installations. German authorities assured officials of a thorough investigation and detained several people for questioning after the video of the attack went viral.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif questioned whether Afghans should continue to be hosted in Germany following the incident. In a conversation with Geo News, Asif described the Afghans as thankless and highlighted that Pakistan is still hosting four million Afghans. He noted that Pakistan fought a war with Russia for Afghans and is now fighting against terrorism.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, addressing a press conference about the attack on the Pakistani consulate, stated that the National Database and Registration Authority’s chairman had been tasked to review the attack footage to check for the involvement of any Pakistani citizens. Tarar mentioned that if any Pakistani was found to be involved, their ID card and passport would be blocked, and strict action would be taken.
