Afghan envoy’s daughter abducted, assaulted in Pak
■ Incident occurs amid allegation of Pak support to Taliban
Islamabad, July 17: The daughter of Afghanistan’’s ambassador to Pakistan was abducted in the middle of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, held for several hours and brutally attacked, officials in both countries said on Saturday.
No one has been arrested in connection with Friday’’s assault on Silsila Alikhil, 26. The Afghan foreign ministry issued a statement demanding a quick investigation, saying she was “severely tortured.”
A hospital medical report, seen by The Associated Press, said she suffered blows to her head, had rope marks on her wrists and legs and was badly beaten. There was a suspicion that she had several broken bones and Xrays were ordered, the report said.
The report also said her abductors held her for over five hours and that she was brought to the hospital in Islamabad by police. There were no details about the abduction itself or the circumstances of her release.
Pakistan called the attack “disturbing” and said that the security at the residence of the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad has been reinforced. The Afghan foreign ministry said that it strongly condemned the “heinous act” and expressed concern for Afghan diplomats and their families in Pakistan.
Relations between the two countries are fraught with suspicion and animosity. They routinely trade accusations, with Afghanistan claiming Pakistan is sending thousands of jihadi militants to fight in Afghanistan and providing safe haven for the Taliban.
Pakistan in turn accuses Kabul of harbouring the anti-Pakistani group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan — the Pakistani Taliban — and also the secessionist Baluchistan Liberation Army.
As violence escalates in Afghanistan with the withdrawal of US and Nato troops, some within the Afghan government have stepped up verbal assaults on Pakistan.