KARACHI: Iran summoned the acting head of Afghanistan’s embassy on Friday after saying a visiting Afghan official disrespected the country’s national anthem by not standing, days after a similar incident in Pakistan.

Standing up during the national anthem is a widely practiced gesture of respect and patriotism in many countries. It is often seen as a way to honour the nation and its values.

Earlier this week, Pakistan condemned the “reprehensible disrespect” shown for the country’s national anthem by an Afghan diplomat, who decided to remain seated when the anthem was played at a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government event on Tuesday, sparking uproar on social and mainstream media.

However, the Afghan consulate had downplayed the incident, attributing the envoy’s decision to remain seated to the presence of “music in the anthem”.

Similar incident took place in Pakistan days ago

“Imagine a religious scholar standing up for music,” the Afghan consulate general’s spokesman, Shahidullah, told Dawn earlier this week, referring to the interim Afghan government’s policy banning their own anthem due to its musical composition.

Even KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur had acknowledged the envoy’s explanation. “This is their policy, and due to music, they [the interim Afghan government] have imposed a ban on their own national anthem,” he had said.

Following the incident at a conference in Tehran on Islamic unity, the Afghan delegate also apologised, and said he didn’t stand because music was banned in public by the Taliban.

An Iranian foreign ministry statement said a “strong protest” had been lodged after the Afghan official’s “unconventional and unacceptable action”.

It accused Kabul’s representative to the Islamic Unity Conference of “disrespecting the national anthem of the Islamic Republic”.

The foreign ministry “condemned this action, which went against diplomatic custom”.

Afghanistan’s representative remained seated when Iran’s national anthem was played.

“Apart from the obvious necessity of the guest respecting the symbols of the host country, paying respect to the national anthem of countries is internationally recognised behaviour,” Iran’s statement added.

On Friday, the Afghan official in Tehran for the conference posted a video apology, saying he meant no disrespect but claimed sitting during anthems is their custom.

With input from AFP

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2024