Author:
Publication: BBC News
Date: July 8, 2003
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3053958.stm
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has
apologised to Islamabad after protesters attacked Pakistan's embassy in
Kabul.
He told Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf that those responsible were enemies of peace and stability in
the country and promised to compensate them for the damage.
The ransackers broke away from a
1,000-strong rally in protest against alleged Pakistani incursions into
Afghanistan.
The BBC's Paul Anderson in Islamabad
says the incident highlights the pent-up hostility of several ethnic groups
in Afghanistan towards Pakistan.
After Tuesday's attack, Pakistan
lodged a formal protest with the Afghan Government and accused its security
forces of failing to prevent the 'mob' from entering the building.
Our correspondent said it was unclear
when the embassy might reopen, although Pakistan's foreign minister has
reportedly said it will be back in business after the broken equipment
and furniture has been repaired.
At a news conference President Karzai
said: "I strongly, strongly, strongly condemn this action.
"Those who committed this act are
not the enemies of Pakistan. They are the enemies of Afghanistan, peace
in Afghanistan. They are the enemies of friendship between Afghanistan
and Pakistan".
The Afghan Foreign Ministry said
it would pay compensation for the damage and guarantee the mission's security.
Equipment smashed
Afghan hostility towards Pakistan
mounted at the weekend after it criticised President Musharraf for allegedly
speaking of a power vacuum in Afghanistan and apparently claiming the government
did not represent all ethnic groups.
Officials also accused Pakistan
of sending troops into Afghan territory during operations on the border
- a charge rejected by Pakistan.
Government officials were among
those who took to the streets of Kabul for a second day of protests.
"We want good relations with Pakistan
but we will not tolerate anybody's interference," said the governor of
the central bank, Anwar Ul-haq Ahady.
Similar attacks
It is not the first time angry Afghans
have attacked the Pakistani embassy.
In the mid-90s, one person was killed
when diplomats and staff were beaten with crow-bars and sticks after anti-
Taleban forces captured Kabul.
The BBC's Paul Adams said memories
are long Afghanistan and people remember Pakistan's support of the Taleban
- despite its crackdown on extremists after the 11 September attacks.
He said Pakistan is still seen by
some as willing to round up al- Qaeda and Taleban suspects with one hand
while supporting their remnants with the other.
And Pakistan's position is not helped
by the fact that those most hostile hold positions of power in President
Karzai's administration, says our correspondent.
Over the weekend, Mr Karzai sent
a team of high-ranking government officials to the border after tribal
elders told him they were concerned that Pakistani forces were carrying
out military operations inside Afghan territory.
Pakistan denies that its troops
had entered Afghan territory. Last month, its army deployed troops in a
border area which traditionally has not been administered by the central
government.
The operation was part of attempts
to try to stop suspected Taleban and al-Qaeda fugitives from carrying out
cross-border attacks on Afghanistan.