Islamabad, Oct. 7 (PTI): A month after its closure, Pakistan's Consulate General in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city will resume its operations from Monday following assurances by the Afghan government that all necessary and required security would be provided to the diplomatic office, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Sunday.
Protesting alleged interference of Afghan officials in the activities of the diplomatic staff, Pakistan had closed down the Jalalabad consulate on August 30.
The FO spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal tweeted that the Jalalabad consulate "will resume its visa operations after assurances by the Afghan government that all necessary and required security will be provided".
"All visa applicants in Jalalabad and surrounding areas within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General could now apply for visa with the Consulate General with effect from Monday 8th October 2018," he tweeted.
Earlier, Pakistan had said that interference of the Nangarhar province governor, Hayatullah Hayat, was a complete violation of the Vienna Convention of the Consular Relations 1963.
Hayat was reportedly demanding that the consular staff change the visa issuance system as the process, according to him, was causing inconvenience to public.
The closure of the Jalalabad mission was a reflection of the strained ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Both the neighbours blame each other of harbouring militants along the porous border.
