The Afghan Consulate in Peshawar has defended Acting Consul General Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir’s decision to remain seated during Pakistan’s national anthem at the Rehmat-ul-Alameen Conference.

The consulate explained that Shakir’s action was due to his personal discomfort with the anthem’s musical elements and not intended as an act of disrespect.

Read more: Afghanistan Suffocates Under Taliban Rule: Women and Culture Crushed by Repressive Regime

The consulate emphasized that Shakir would have stood if the anthem had been performed without music or by children.

This explanation has not quelled criticism, with accusations of diplomatic protocol breaches arising amidst already strained Pakistan-Afghanistan relations since the Taliban’s return in August 2021.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged a formal protest, condemning the act as disrespectful and summoning the Afghan Chargé d’Affaires.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has urged patience, noting that diplomatic matters should not be hastily judged.

Additionally, there are reports that Shakir may be residing in Pakistan illegally, lacking proper documentation.