Pakistan says Afghan envoy's daughter not abducted

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan’s interior minister on Sunday dismissed claims that the daughter of the Afghan envoy to Pakistan had been abducted, saying they were part of an international conspiracy against his country.

Speaking to local broadcaster Geo News, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said the incident was not an abduction at all.

"This is an international conspiracy, an agenda of [Indian intelligence agency] RAW," the broadcaster quoted him as saying.

Earlier, while briefing reporters, Ahmad said intelligence agencies had thoroughly investigated the incident and checked the relevant CCTV footage but no evidence was found that she was abducted.

"She traveled from Islamabad to Rawalpindi in a taxi, then returned to Daman e Koh [in Islamabad] in another car and again went to F-9 Park [Fatima Jinnah Park] in Islamabad in a third taxi," Ahmad told reporters.

"So far, the investigation showed that it was not an abduction," he said, adding a final report will be released Monday.

On Saturday, the Afghan Foreign Ministry claimed that Silsila Alikhail, the daughter of Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Najib Alikhail, was abducted and tortured by unknown perpetrators on her way home Friday in Islamabad.

On Sunday, Afghanistan called back its ambassador from Pakistan after the incident, with Pakistan terming the decision "unfortunate and regrettable."

Later, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that police in Islamabad had launched a thorough investigation immediately after the incident was reported.

"The reported abduction and assault of the ambassador’s daughter in Islamabad is being investigated and followed up at the highest level on the instructions of the prime minister. The security of the ambassador, his family and personnel of the embassy and consulates of Afghanistan in Pakistan has been further beefed up," the ministry said in the statement.

"The foreign secretary met the ambassador of Afghanistan today, highlighted all the steps taken by the government in this context and re-assured him of full cooperation. We hope that the government of Afghanistan will reconsider its decision."