July 20, 2003	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, July 19: Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohmand said on Saturday that Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul would start issuing visas from Monday.

The embassy was doing routine business except issuing of visas which will also be started from Monday, the ambassador said in a television interview.

He said the Afghan government had paid a compensation worth 2.8 million in Afghan currency and the repairing work of the embassy building would be started in a couple of days.

“We are looking for a firm which could accomplish the work as early as possible,” he added.

Responding to a question, he said the estimate of the damage to the embassy was assessed by a firm and the Afghan government had paid the amount accordingly.

Asked what measures were being taken to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future, the ambassador said it was the responsibility of the local government to protect the foreign missions in its country.

However, he added, the Afghan government had ensured that permanent security arrangement would be made to avert such happening in the future.

“The Afghan government has fully ensured us and we hope they will cooperate,” he said.—APP