Pakistan condemns Afghan diplomat for “disrespecting” national anthem

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office has condemned what it described as the “reprehensible” actions of an Afghan diplomat, who remained seated during the playing of the national anthem at a government event in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday.

The Afghan Consul General in Peshawar, Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir, remained seated during the anthem at the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference in Peshawar, which was hosted by the province’s Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. The act has sparked outrage and been labelled a violation of diplomatic protocol.

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Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the move was “against diplomatic norms” and that Pakistan had lodged a formal protest with Afghan authorities in both Islamabad and Kabul.

Standing for the national anthem is widely seen as a mark of respect, and the diplomat’s actions have been criticised by experts as showing “utter disregard” for the host country.

Afghan Consulate Clarification

Meanwhile, the Afghan Consulate, in its statement, said that the Consul General did not stand up due to the presence of music in the Pakistani national anthem.

Regarding the issue of not standing for the national anthem at the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference held in Peshawar, the spokesperson of the Afghan Consulate issued a clarification, stating that there was no intention to desecrate or disrespect the Pakistani national anthem. However, since the anthem included music, the Consul General chose not to stand.

The spokesperson added that Afghanistan has banned music in its own national anthem as well.

“If the national anthem had been played without music, or if children had performed it, the Consul General would have stood and placed his hand on his chest. There is no question of disrespecting Pakistan or its national anthem,” the statement added.