Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Wednesday that Afghan Consul General Mohibullah Shakir has provided an explanation regarding the diplomatic incident at the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference in Peshawar.
During the event, while Pakistan’s national anthem was playing, Afghan Consul General Mohibullah Shakir remained seated, which was seen as a breach of diplomatic protocol. The Consul General clarified that his decision to remain seated was due to his aversion to the music in the anthem, noting that Afghan authorities had also prohibited the use of their own national anthem in musical form for similar reasons.
The Afghan spokesperson further stated that had the anthem been performed without music or by children, the Consul General would have stood and placed his hand on his chest in respect.
In response, Pakistan has strongly condemned the Afghan Consul General's actions as a breach of diplomatic norms. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that a formal protest is being lodged with Afghan authorities in both Islamabad and Kabul.