By IRNA,
Islamabad : The Pakistani political leaders on Saturday strongly condemned the kidnapping of Iranian diplomat Mr. Heshmatullah Attarzadeh and said that foreign hand is behind the coward act.
Talking to IRNA they called upon the need to foil the designs of those elements who are trying to spoil the relations of Pakistan with its neighbors.
Heshmatollah Attarzadeh, commercial attache of the Iranian Consulate in Peshawar, was kidnapped from Hayatabad neighborhood when he was heading to his office, Pakistani police said.
The police said that vehicle of Attarzadeh was intercepted by some unknown armed men who took him hostage and on resistance gunned down his guard identified as Sajjad, before fleeing from the scene.
Amir of Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that there is a foreign hand behind the abduction of the diplomat.
US is behind this coward act as it is trying to create mistrust between Iran and Pakistan, Qazi opined. He added that Iran and Pakistan have been enjoying strong brotherly ties and at this time Pakistan needs the friendship of Iran.
Qazi said that the government of Pakistan has failed to control the law and order situation in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) so far.
It is the failure of our intelligence agencies and there is a possibility of our enemies penetration in the intelligence agencies, he added.
He said that people of Pakistan feel embarrassed on the shameful act of the Iranian diplomat kidnapping.
Iranians are our brothers and we are ready to cooperate with them to expose the foreign conspiracies. Those who have done this act are in fact enemies of the unity of Muslims, said Qazi.
He hoped that the incident would not affect Pak-Iran relations as Pakistan is looking forward to strengthen its relations with Iran.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesperson Siddiqul Farooq said that he on behalf of his party strongly condemned the abduction of Heshmatollah Attarzadeh.
He said that in his opinion foreign hand is behind the kidnapping which is aimed to damage Pak-Iran brotherly relations.
He added that incidents of kidnapping and attacks on foreigners have intensified in recent months in Pakistan.
We are trying our level best to cope with the problem of so called terrorism and trying to isolate those who are trying to destabilize the state of Pakistan, said Siddiqul Farooq.
We have been told by the security agencies in the parliamentary briefing that Israel is involved in such acts which are aimed to taint Pakistan with its neighbors, he opined.