India, Afghanistan Criticise Pakistan On Dragging India In Silsila Abduction Case

Silsila Alikhil Abduction Case: On Thursday, India criticised Pakistan for dragging the country in the alleged abduction of Afghan diplomats daughter in Pakistan. Previously, the Afghan minister had also expressed their concerns regarding this.

Arindam Bagchi, who is the spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry, said that India was forced to respond to the matter. This was because the interior minister of Pakistan Sheikh Rashid Ahmed dragged the country's name in the Silsila Alikhil abduction case. Ahmed had linked the case and said that there was an Indian spy agency involved in it.

Even by their standards, Pak's denial of victim's account stooping to new low: MEA on abduction of Afghan Ambassador's daughter in Islamabad

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 22, 2021

He had said, "This is all being done according to a plan. There is a conspiracy to slander Pakistan and RAW is involved." Ahmed also said that the Afghan ambassador’s daughter “was not kidnapped” and had gone from Islamabad to Rawalpindi of her own will. “There is no case of kidnapping,” Ahmed said.

Bagchi’s commented that Ahmed's claims that there is no evidence that Silsila Alikhil was abducted in Islamabad could lead to greater mistrust between the two countries.

Bagchi said, "This is, of course, a very shocking incident. It involves two other countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and usually, we’d not comment on it. However, since the interior minister of Pakistan has dragged India into it, I would only like to say that even by their standards, Pakistan’s denial of the victim’s account is stooping to a new low."

Mohammad Haneef Atmar, the Afghan foreign minister, expressed concern at Pakistan interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s claim that India’s spy agency was involved in the abduction. He called them “unprofessional remarks” and said that they could affect bilateral relations.

The 26-year-old daughter of Afghan ambassador Najibullah Alikhil, Silsila Alikhil was allegedly abducted on July 16. She was reportedly tortured for about five hours and then released. She was receiving medical attention after the release. The Afghan foreign ministry had also expressed that the Silsila Alikhil abduction has "wounded the psyche" the nation.