- Dozens of criminals attacked the consulate on July 20.
- German police have arrested two of the suspects.
- Pakistan condemned an attack by extremists on its consulate.
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Ministry on Sunday denied the authenticity of a report circulating on social media that Germany had handed over those involved in the attack on the Pakistani consulate in Frankfurt.
Asked whether the suspects involved in the vandalism were handed over to Pakistan as claimed in a report on social media, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch called the report “fake news”.
On July 20, dozens of criminals attacked the Pakistani consulate during a protest in Frankfurt. Two suspects were arrested by German police.
German authorities had reportedly allowed Afghan citizens to hold a peaceful protest. However, the demonstrators turned violent, throwing stones at the consulate building and removing the country's flag, leading to heightened tensions.
After arresting two Afghan citizens, German police expected more arrests as they continued to identify more protesters with the help of video footage.
A day after the incident, Pakistan condemned the militant group's attack on its consulate as well as the failure of German authorities to protect the sanctity and security of its consular mission premises.
Meanwhile, Pakistan had summoned the top German diplomat to voice a strong protest over the incident.
The FO statement had noted that responsibility for protecting facilities and ensuring the safety of diplomats rests with the host government under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
“We convey our strongest protest to the German government and urge it to take immediate steps to fulfil its responsibilities under the Vienna Conventions,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Pakistan has also called on German authorities to take immediate steps to arrest and prosecute those involved in the incident and hold those responsible for the security lapses accountable.
According to press reports, the situation has attracted widespread attention from the international community, raising concerns about the diplomatic security of the facility.
However, German authorities had assured officials that a thorough investigation would be carried out and that several people had also been arrested and questioned following the video's release.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has asked whether Afghans should be given shelter after the incident in Germany.
In a conversation with Geo newsAsif called Afghans ingrates and said Pakistan still hosted four million Afghans.
He said Pakistan had fought a war against Russia for the Afghans and was now fighting terrorism.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, while addressing a press conference on the attack on the Pakistani consulate, said that the chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority had been tasked with reviewing the footage of the attack and verifying whether any Pakistani citizen was involved or it was only people from one nation who attacked.
Tarar had said that if any Pakistani was found to be involved, then his identity card and passport would be blocked and strict action would be taken.
