November 7, 2003	Friday	Ramazan 11, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: The British high commissioner Mark Lyall Grant was summoned to the foreign office and conveyed Islamabad’s serious concern over the reported bugging of the Pakistan high commission’s communication links in London by MI5 last year, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

No specific details of the meeting between the foreign ministry officials and the British high commissioner on Tuesday were made available despite several contacts with sources. However, these sources confirmed that discussions revolved around reports of bugging and Pakistan’s right to obtain Britain’s official position on the matter.

Pakistan’s high commission in London and the foreign ministry here “have been in touch” with the British foreign office and the British high commission on this matter, a source said.

The reports of bugging by the premier British intelligence outfit appeared in the latest edition of The Sunday Times. It was reported that British spy agency infiltrated the embassy, stole codes and schemed to plant listening devices besides stealing documents.

Interestingly, the report appeared in the paper when Pakistan’s foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri was in London for official consultations with what are regarded here as the “trusted” close allies.

Although officials are avoiding any public pronouncements on this controversial issue, privately they concede that they were “absolutely shocked” at this disclosure.

Apparently Pakistan’s high commissioner in London Maleeha Lodhi immediately reported the matter to the foreign ministry here.

When Dawn contacted foreign office spokesman Masood Khan for comments, he said: “We have seen the report. We are conducting an internal evaluation as to the veracity of the contents and once we have passed through this phase we will take steps.”

The spokesman was not willing to say anything beyond this.

“We are supposed to be close allies, so naturally we were shocked to learn about it,” remarked a senior official. However, he hastened to add: “We should not jump to any hasty conclusions.”

There are many unanswered questions as to whether it was a failed attempt or an attempt that succeeded, officials said.

PRIVATE FIRM: According to reports published by London-based Sunday Times, the MI5 carried out the operation in complicity with a private construction firm which was given the contract last year to renovate the high commission buildings.

During the work, the MI5 operators installed bugging devices and also removed key classified files from the mission.

“We are trying to determine the authenticity of these reports and have sought British government’s comment,” an official said.

“If what has been stated is proved, the government of Pakistan may take legal action against the firm in court of law,” he said.

British embassy spokesman Tim Handley would not deny or confirm that the high commissioner was called to the foreign office in connection with the report.

He added the high commissioner often visits the ministry of foreign affairs “routinely” for business.