DIPLOMATS, INCLUDING INDONESIAN ENVOY, NARROWLY ESCAPE BOMB ATTACK IN PAKISTAN

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- A group of foreign diplomats, including a representative from Indonesia, narrowly escaped a bomb attack on Sunday while en route to an event organised by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Swat Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, northern Pakistan.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Chargé d’Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad, Rahmat Hindiarta, was among those present during the incident, which occurred on the road to Malam Jabba, approximately 300 kilometres from Islamabad.

“The Chargé d’Affaires and all the diplomats are safe and have returned to Islamabad without any problems,” its spokesperson Roy Soemirat said in a statement on Monday.

However, he said the attack, believed to have involved an improvised explosive device, resulted in the death of one police officer and injuries to three others, with no group claiming responsibility for the incident at this time.

Roy noted that about 1,200 Indonesian nationals, including students and those married to Pakistani citizens, are currently living in Pakistan, and assured that its embassy in Islamabad will continue to work closely with Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety of all Indonesian citizens in the country.

He also highlighted that misleading images related to the incident are circulating in various international media, urging the public to monitor news coverage carefully and responsibly.

-- BERNAMA