LAHORE, Dec 21: The Lahore High court directed the federal government on Friday to take all measures under the law for the protection of overseas Pakistanis, particularly those settled in the United States.

Disposing of a writ petition moved by Advocate MD Tahir, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad asked the lawyer to hand over a copy of his petition to Deputy Attorney-General Sher Zaman Khan, who would convey the court’s direction to the government.

Mr Tahir had also called for action against the foreign minister, the foreign secretary and the ambassador to the US for ‘dereliction’ of duty. He claimed that it was only after US ambassador Wendy Chamberlin expressed her concern that the Pakistani authorities issued muted statements about the Pakistanis detained in the US without due process of law.