Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with Germany over its failure to protect the "sanctity and security" of the diplomatic premises of the Pakistani consulate in Frankfurt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement on Sunday.
"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. In yesterday’s incident, the security of Pakistan's consulate in Frankfurt was breached, endangering the lives of its consular staff," the statement read.
Further, Islamabad has urged the German government to take immediate measures to arrest and prosecute the individuals who were involved in the incident. The ministry also called upon the German authorities to hold to account those responsible for the security lapses.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry blamed a "gang of extremists" for carrying out the consulate attack.
Ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan have blown hot and cold since the Taliban* came to power in Kabul in August 2021. Islamabad has accused Kabul of sheltering militants linked to banned terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)**, perceived as an ideological ally of the Taliban. The Taliban has rejected the charges and maintained that it doesn't allow its territory to be used for planning or staging attacks against other countries.
Further, Pakistan's decision to deport thousands of undocumented Afghan migrants in the country since last year has also contributed to friction in ties.
Since coming to power, the Taliban has also reiterated its opposition to the Durand Line.
*under UN sanctions
**banned terrorist group