November 12, 2005 ☼ Foreign Affairs
This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.
After raising a ruckus over the alleged harassment of the teenage son of one of its officials, the Pakistani High Commission has declared that it does not want ‘hype’, but a ‘matter-of-fact resolution of the matter’. When Delhi Police announced that they had concrete evidence that the teenager had cooked the entire tale up and requested him to file an official statement, the deputy high commissioner refused, citing that the teenager had ‘some diplomatic immunity’.
Roshan Ali’s father, Asghar is not registered as a diplomat, so there are serious questions as to whether diplomatic immunity is applicable (to either father or son) at all. Secondly, the defence of diplomatic immunity is used by an accused, not by a complainant. Tacit admission of guilt? In any case, the Pakistani authorities would do well to realise that the best thing to do when in a hole is to stop digging.
Asked about the interrogation of the boy by the police that was to take place on Thursday, Bhatti said: “Police is most welcome to come and interrogate him at the High Commission. They are most welcome to do so.”
“We can’t go to the police station. After all, we have some diplomatic immunity.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police Anita Roy, however, said that the police had collected “concrete evidence” to prove that Ali was lying.
“When they wanted help, they came to the police station to register a case. So, why are they now shying from coming to the police station and giving a statement,” said Roy.
Roy added: “We cannot go inside the Pakistan High Commission because Indian Penal Code (IPC) does not hold good there as the High Commission is Pakistan’s territory.” [HT]
Related Link: Meanwhile in New York
Younis Qureshi, the Pakistan Consulate, New York, employee, who has been in custody for an immigration violation since October 27, was offered voluntary deportation or optional departure on Thursday, but he opted for a trial. [DT]
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