Islamabad: An Afghan diplomat was on Monday shot dead by a security guard following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Abdu, in the lobby of the consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the deputy inspector general (DIG) south Azad Khan.
“There is no terrorism element in this sad incident,” DIG Khan said. “This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings.” The diplomat killed was the brother of Mohammad Abdul, an MP from northern Balkh province, Afghanistan’s Tolo News reported.
Afghanistan’s ministry of foreign affairs was quoted by Khaama Press as saying that a delegation comprising officials from the Afghan embassy in Islamabad and Pakistani officials has been formed to probe the incident. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Karachi’s Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto family’s residence is situated in the locality.
