Pak, Afghan foreign ministers discuss closure of Pak Consulate

Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Afghan counterpart, Salahuddin Rabbani had a telephonic conversation over the closure of the Pakistan consulate in Jalalabad city, the capital of Nangarhar province.

"The issue of closure of the Pakistan Consulate General in Jalalabad due to a security crisis was also discussed. Mr. Qureshi requested the Afghan Government for restoring the previous security arrangements existing till 28th August 2018, so that the Consulate General's normal functioning could be resumed at the earliest," a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs read, reported Khaama Press.

"Foreign Minister Rabbani reassured a positive outcome soon in this regard and mentioned his meeting with the Ambassador of Pakistan in Kabul yesterday. Till resolution of the issue, Pakistan in the meantime would continue issuing visas to patients or students residing in the jurisdiction of the Consulate's as an emergency measure," the statement added.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul declared on Saturday that the consulate in Jalalabad has been closed due to alleged interference from the Governor of Nangarhar, Hayatullah Hayat.

Hayat, however, dismissed those allegations, saying that joint efforts with the Pakistani consulate had been launched in an effort to resolve concerns with the issuance of visas, primarily involving disorder and briberies.