New Delhi

In a major diplomatic embarrassment for Pakistan on Tuesday, its National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf had to cancel his Afghanistan visit after a large number of Afghans were expected to turn up at the Kabul airport for an anti-Pakistan protest, sources said.

Sensing the massive anti-Pakistan sentiments, Yusuf decided to cancel the visit which had been planned against the backdrop of rising tensions between the Pakistani Army and Taliban over fencing the Durand Line.

This would have been the second high-level visit from Pakistan since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August last year. The high-powered Pakistani delegation led by the NSA was to be on a two-day visit to Kabul on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The delegation was also to assess the on-ground situation in Afghanistan which is reeling under a humanitarian crisis that is likely to affect Pakistan which is its next-door neighbor.