In a surprising turn of events, the Foreign Office announced on Thursday that it was unaware of a recent visit by around a dozen ambassadors to Swat, where they narrowly escaped a terrorist attack.
Earlier this week, an explosion targeted the vehicle leading the diplomats to Malam Jabba, resulting in the tragic death of a police officer from the security detail. Fortunately, all the diplomats, who were attending an event organized by the local chamber of commerce, were unharmed and safely returned to Islamabad.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it has raised significant concerns about security measures in the area. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government stated that it was not informed of the foreign diplomats’ visit, particularly since the region has a history of terrorism.
During a press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch faced multiple questions regarding the incident, the protocols involved, and the role of the Foreign Ministry. To the surprise of many, she confirmed that the Foreign Office had not been notified about the diplomats’ trip.
Baloch condemned the incident that occurred on September 23 and noted that security agencies are currently investigating. She clarified that the trip was organized by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce, not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or any government agency.
“We have taken serious note of the lapses made by those responsible, particularly their failure to inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about such a high-profile visit,” she stated. An internal investigation indicated that, as far as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is concerned, all protocols were followed.
She explained that some ambassadors had contacted the Ministry individually regarding their travel to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and this information was communicated to the provincial government in writing. However, the specifics of the event organized by the Chamber of Commerce were not shared with the Ministry, leading to the oversight regarding the large number of ambassadors traveling together.
The spokesperson added that discussions are ongoing about how to rectify the situation and prevent similar issues in the future, while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all diplomats in the country.
