With 16 players all within four shots of the leaders, the $300,000 tournament looks set for a thrilling Sunday finish
The daughter of Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan was abducted in the middle of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, held for several hours and brutally attacked, officials in both countries said Saturday.
No one has been arrested in connection with Friday’s assault on Silsila Alikhil, 26. The Afghan foreign ministry issued a statement demanding a quick investigation, saying she was “severely tortured”.
A hospital medical report said she suffered blows to her head, had rope marks on her wrists and legs and was badly beaten. There was a suspicion that she had several broken bones and X-rays were ordered, the report said.
The report also said her abductors held her for over five hours and that she was brought to the hospital in Islamabad by police. There were no details about the abduction itself or the circumstances of her release.
Pakistan called the attack “disturbing” and said that security at the residence of the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad has been reinforced. The Afghan foreign ministry said it strongly condemns this “heinous act” and expressed concern for Afghan diplomats and their families in Pakistan.
Relations between the two countries are fraught with suspicion and animosity. They routinely trade accusations, with Afghanistan claiming Pakistan is sending thousands of militants to fight in Afghanistan and providing safe haven for the Taleban. Pakistan in turn accuses Kabul of harbouring the anti-Pakistani group Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan — the Pakistani Taleban — and also the secessionist Baluchistan Liberation Army.
As violence escalates in Afghanistan with the withdrawal of US and NATO troops, some within the Afghan government have stepped up verbal assaults on Pakistan.
In Kabul, the Afghan foreign ministry summoned Pakistani Ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan on Saturday to lodge “a strong protest” over the attack. The ministry said it “explicitly called on the Pakistani government to take immediate action to identify and punish the perpetrators of this crime.
A leading female senator in Pakistan, Sherry Rahman, condemned Friday’s attack and tweeted that “the Afghanistan Ambassador’s daughter is a young woman, and should not face ANY obstacle in walking about in central Islamabad, plus more importantly, she is entitled to diplomatic protection in Pakistan.”
Hamid Mir, a well-known Pakistani journalist who survived a 2014 shooting in the southern port city of Karachi asked in a tweet how something like this could happen in Islamabad. “What is the use of expensive safe city cameras?”
He also noted that Pakistani journalists and even a police officer have been abducted in Islamabad, with few culprits ever arrested.
Most of Islamabad neighbourhoods are upscale, with wide tree-lined boulevards. The Pakistani capital is home to all the diplomatic missions in the country, the majority of them located inside a heavily fortified enclave. The Afghan mission, however, is outside that enclave.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “the safety and security of the diplomatic missions, as well as the diplomats and their families, is of utmost importance. Such incidents can and will not be tolerated.”
With 16 players all within four shots of the leaders, the $300,000 tournament looks set for a thrilling Sunday finish
In just two days, their efforts have made a significant impact, benefiting over 10,000 people in flooded areas
Shahvez Khan recounts heart pounding sequence of events from ground zero
This strategic move seeks to optimise the film's presentation and ensure maximum exposure on Imax screens
Erdogan can only expect a 'very limited' role because of his outspoken condemnation of Israel and its actions in Gaza
The quake occurred at a depth of 160km
Both sides will be looking to come off the bottom of the IPL table and earn some valuable points
Paul Griffiths assured travellers that all partners were working towards the "welfare of guests and returning operations"