PESHAWAR: Following a disagreement regarding ownership of Afghan National Market, Afghanistan has closed its Consulate General down here on Friday (11th of October, 2019). A note on white paper has been pasted on the gate of the Consulate informing about the closure.
According to details the ownership of the building was claimed by a Pakistani citizen who went to the court. As a result the Supreme Court of Pakistan had given its verdict in his favor. Lamenting the act of removal of the Afghan flag from the edifice Afghan Consul General Mohammad Hashim Niazi stated that the Afghan government reckoned the place as its property.
According to the discontented diplomat Pakistan government had been earlier told that the diplomatic mission would be closed if Afghan flag was removed from the building. Afghan Consul General Mohammad Hashim Niazi accused that a Qabza Mafia was behind the incident and alleged that shopkeepers (probably Afghan nationals) were tortured.
Afghan Consul General Mohammad Hashim Niazi, most probably pointing towards the talks with Taliban, stated that such acts should have been avoided at such a shaky point of time when state of affairs were not clear. He asked the Government of Pakistan to use diplomatic channels in order to find a solution to the dispute.
Afghan Consul General has said that they owned the building and bought it from the owner. It is pertinent to mention here that a Pakistani citizen, Syed Intikhab Haider Abidi, had claimed ownership of the Afghan market here while after hearing the arguments Supreme Court of Pakistan has given its verdict in favor of a third litigant Zawar Hussain. Later the district administration along with Police had got Afghan National Market vacated. The action was taken when CJ of PHC had issued a notice to the concerned officials to appear in person for framing of charges for non compliance with the court decision regarding getting the premises vacant.
Afghan National Market is a structure built on a 3000 square meter plot opposite Jinnah Park in Firdous locality. It harbors 180 shops. According the property was purchased by the Afghan government back in 1946.
News Pakistan