After Iran and India, Afghanistan summons Pakistan envoy over remarks on Pulwama terror attack

Afghanistan on Wednesday summoned Pakistan's ambassador to the country over a statement that Afghan peace process will be impacted if India acts on Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. 

The Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs in Afghan foreign ministry Idrees Zaman in a tweet said, "Today @mfa_afghanistan summoned Pakistani ambassador and handed him a diplomatic démarche, in protest to his latest statement quoted by Reuters. We will issue a formal statement with details shortly!

Zahid Nasrullah, the Pakistani envoy to Afghanistan, was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying that Afghan talks will be impacted if India retaliates after the Pulwama terror attack. 

Pakistan based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the terror attack that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.

This comes even as Afghanistan complained to United Nation Security Council (UNSC) on Islamabad's engagement with the Taliban and support to terror groups. 

In the last six days, three neighbours of Pakistan-- Iran, India and Afghanistan -- have summoned Pakistani envoys stationed in respective countries. 

On Sunday, Iran summoned Pakistan envoy in Tehran, Riffat Masood, to protest against the terror attack in the country that killed 27 revolutionary guards. A Pakistani national has been named in the suicide attack that took place in the southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan. 

According to a release from Iranian foreign ministry, Tehran highlighted the growing number of terrorist attacks "designed in and led from Pakistan including the latest terrorist attack".

India summoned the Pakistani High Commissioner to New Delhi, Sohail Mahmood, a day after the Pulwama attack. This was the second summoning by New Delhi of the envoy on 2019. In January, India had summoned the envoy after Pakistani foreign minister SM Qureshi called on separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. 

The development comes even as New Delhi has unleashed a diplomatic campaign to isolate Pakistan as a fallout out of Pulwama attack. It has been briefing foreign envoys of several countries including ASEAN, Africa, Central Asia, Gulf, Permanent five and non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to brief about Islamabad's involvement in the Pulwama terror attack. 

More than 70 countries have condemned the terror attack. 

New Zealand became the first country to pass a motion in the parliament to condemn the attack. Deputy Prime minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peter moved a government motion in the parliament condemning Pulwama attack.