Islamabad: Islamabad on July 8 closed its embassy in Kabul, summoned Afghanistan's Charge d'Affaires and expressed strong protest after its mission was attacked in the Afghan capital by a group of people.

Pakistan demanded an apology and payment of compensation for the loss of property and equipment in the attack, an official statement said.

Terming the attack as a "deliberate" failure on the part of Afghan force, the statement said that the government of Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the Afghan government over the attack to the Afghan Charge d'Affairs, who was summoned to the Foreign Office.

Later, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurishid Mehmood Kasuri said he spoke to Afghan acting Foreign Minister Rahim Sherzoi over phone and told him that the incidents like this were "unhelpful" to the efforts of both the governments to have a model relationship.

"It is unfortunate that this happened. Minister Sherzoi expressed deep regrets and apologies and assured me that action would be taken against those who perpetrated this attack," Kasuri said.

He said Pakistan attached great importance to its close relations with Afghanistan.

Earlier, in Kabul, Pakistan's Ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohammad said he was closing down the mission till the Afghan government gave adequate protection, apologised and compensated the damage.

PTI