Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on Monday that a team from Afghanistan had arrived to investigate the abduction of the Afghan ambassador’s daughter.

Ambassador Najibullah Alikhil’s 27-year-old daughter Silsila Alikhil was allegedly abducted briefly and tortured by unidentified persons last month while returning from a bakery in Blue Area before being dropped alongside a road with her hands and feet tied and a note that “your turn is next” and “communist”.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the interior minister said: "The Afghan team has arrived for investigation of the Afghan ambassador's daughter's case. I have instructed the inspector general of police to hand over the [investigation results] based on facts and the truth to the Afghan investigation committee."

Rashid said the police had completed the investigation and were fully prepared to answer any questions of the Afghan team.

Questioned on the Afghan team's freedom to operate, the interior minister said "they [are free to carry out] their investigation. Pakistan is a free country and they are in contact with the FO."

Rashid added that he had given police clearance to share its investigation and footage with the Afghan team along with access to 18 people — including the four taxi drivers. "If they (Afghan team) want, they can interview them as well," he said.

The interior minister also commented on the Noor Mukadam murder case and said he had given his utmost effort and collected witnesses in the cases and gotten forensic investigation carried out. "Now I can't get him (Noor's killer) killed in a police encounter because the social media is so pervasive [...] the decision is of the courts, the testimonies are complete and I hope he will be given the death sentence."

Removal of encroachments on Islamabad's nullahs

The interior minister said that he had instructed the deputy commissioner of Islamabad, Hamza Shafqat, to remove all encroachments and illegal constructions from Islamabad's nullahs by August 30, adding that he would personally supervise the operations.

He clarified that the order was "only for nullahs" in order to remove constructions that blocked the flow of water. The interior minister's comments come in the wake of devastating rains in Islamabad last week that caused urban flooding and resulted in the deaths of two people.

The reasons attributed for the tragedy were weak regulatory checks on housing societies by the civic agency and district administration along with narrowing of nullahs due to illegal constructions.

Regarding other matters in the capital, he said he had also instructed the chairman of the Capital Development Authority to secure the diplomatic enclave and install 190 security cameras.

Rashid also said that the National Database and Registration Authority had decided to issue Covid-19 vaccination certificates and a vaccine verification system for foreigners as well.

On peace and security in the upcoming month of Muharram, the interior minister said a meeting would be held on the issue on Thursday but the Ministry of Interior had issued instructions to maintain peace and calm during the month.

Rashid also addressed the issue of officials serving for extended periods of time in foreign missions, saying that 64 individuals had been recalled and new appointments were being made. Addressing such individuals, the interior minister said if they didn't return to the country and report to their offices by August 30, they would be suspended.

Speaking on the investigation in the Dasu dam incident, he said it had progressed and "foolproof" security arrangements were being ensured for the Chinese.

Rashid also claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had no threat from the PML-N and the party was subject to an internal rift between two camps.

"Their politics has finished. The damage to PML-N has been due to its policies [...] They have no political future," he said.