Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Monday condemning the Afghan Consul General’s disregard for Pakistan’s national anthem. The resolution was introduced by Amjad Ali Javed, a PML-N government member, in response to an incident where the Afghan Consul General, Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir, remained seated during Pakistan’s national anthem at the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference in Peshawar last week. This action, seen as a serious breach of diplomatic protocol, sparked widespread outrage.
“The Afghan Consul General’s refusal to stand during our national anthem is a direct insult to Pakistan and its people,” the resolution stated. It further demanded that the federal government protest the incident with Afghanistan and convey the strong sentiments of the Pakistani public.
The conference, attended by various Afghan consular officials, was hosted by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Shakir’s conduct was widely condemned as an affront to diplomatic norms. A political analyst commented, “In any civilised society, such behaviour would be deemed unacceptable. The Consul General’s actions show a blatant disregard for the host nation.”
