Pakistan condemns attack on its consulate in Germany

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday condemned the attack on its consulate in the German city of Frankfurt along with the failure of German authorities to protect the diplomatic facility.

In the incident which occurred on Saturday, “the security of Pakistan’s consulate in Frankfurt was breached, endangering the lives of its consular staff”, the Foreign Office said without identifying the nationality of the attackers.

“Pakistan strongly condemns yesterday’s attack by a gang of extremists on its consulate in Frankfurt, Germany and the failure of the German authorities to protect the sanctity and security of the premises of its consular Mission,” it said.

Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, it is the responsibility of the host government to protect the sanctity of the consular premises and ensure the security of diplomats, it said.

“We are conveying our strong protest to the German government. We urge the German government to take immediate measures to fulfill its responsibilities under the Vienna Conventions and ensure the security of the diplomatic missions and staff of Pakistan in Germany,” it said.

Pakistan also asked the German authorities to take immediate measures to arrest and prosecute those involved in the incident and hold to account those responsible for the lapses in security.

Media reports indicated that the attack occurred during a protest by Afghan citizens and videos circulating on social media show the protesters storming the consulate, throwing stones, and removing the Pakistani flag. The attackers also attempted to burn the flag.

According to details, 8 to 10 Afghan nationals were involved in storming the Pakistani consulate and fled after taking down the Pakistani flag. So far, no arrest has been made.