Pakistan's top diplomat in Kabul returns, months after surviving assassination attempt

Pakistan’s head of the diplomatic mission in Kabul returned to the Afghan capital on April 17, more than four months after he survived an assassination attempt, according to a media report. Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires, returned to Kabul, however, she did not provide further details, a report said.

Pakistan’s head of the diplomatic mission in Kabul returned to the Afghan capital on April 17, more than four months after he survived an assassination attempt, according to a media report.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires, returned to Kabul, however, she did not provide further details, The Express Tribune newspaper reported on April 17.

Mr. Nizamani's return followed a phone call between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and acting Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The development came ahead of a planned visit of Mr. Muttaqi to Islamabad next month.

Quoting sources, the report said the decision to send back the Pakistani envoy was made during the call. Mr. Nizamani was on a routine walk inside the sprawling embassy compound in Kabul on December 2 when shooters opened fire on him from a nearby multi-storey building. He escaped unhurt, but his Pakistani security guard was hit in the legs by bullets.

Pakistan immediately evacuated the senior diplomat and demanded the Taliban enhance the security of its embassy. However, it was not clear at the time that it would take over four months for Pakistan to send back its envoy to Kabul.

The delay was attributed to a lack of security as well as friction between the two sides on a range of issues particularly the continued attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group.

Sources said that Mr. Bilawal extended the formal invitation to his Afghan counterpart during the telephone conversation. Though no official confirmation was available, sources said that Mr. Muttaqi is expected to travel to Islamabad in the first week of May.