ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Office on Friday summoned the Afghan deputy head of mission and handed over a demarche conveying Pakistan’s serious concern over the brutal killing of five Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan.
“The Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was called to Foreign Office, today, and handed over a Demarche, conveying Pakistan’s serious concern over the brutal killing of five Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in a statement on Friday.
The spokesperson said that the Afghan government has been requested to hold an investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Our deepest sympathies and condolences go to the families of the victims,” the statement added.
About two months ago, nine Pakistanis belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district were kidnapped by gunmen in Mamand area of Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province.
Later, bullet-riddled bodies of five Pakistanis were found in Afghanistan, and were handed over to Pakistani officials at Torkham border post on Wednesday.
In a statement, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the murders, and extended his sympathies and condolences go to the families of the victims.
The prime minister expressed hope that the Afghan government carries out a thorough investigation to ensure the perpetrators brought to justice.
“Terrorism is a mutual enemy of both neighbouring countries,” the premier said according to a statement issued by the PM House in Islamabad.
Sharif said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are taking mutual steps to combat terrorism.
