Three injured in explosion outside Pakistan Consulate General in Jalalabad

In this undated photo, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul is seen hoisting the national flag at the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Pakistan Embassy in Kabul/File)

• All staff members are safe, Foreign Office says
• Islamabad in touch with Kabul to ensure maximum security

ISLAMABAD: At least three people were injured in a blast outside the Pakistani Consulate General in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad, Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday.
In a tweet posted late on Sunday night, he added that all the Pakistani staff were safe after an improvised explosive device (IED) went off outside the consulate.
“IED exploded outside holding area of our Consulate General in Jalalabad. All Pakistani staff are safe. One policeman and two applicants are reportedly wounded,” he said, adding that Islamabad was in “contact with Afghan authorities to ensure strengthened security for Consulate General’s premises and personnel.”
In September 2018, Pakistan had shut down operations at the consulate in Jalalabad for a few weeks over alleged interference by the provincial governor and due to a lack of security.