ISLAMABAD, Nov 9: Pakistan Foreign Office on Wednesday summoned the Acting Indian High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest over the abduction and abuse of the son of Pakistan High Commission’s staff member in New Delhi and demanded an investigation into the incident.
The Acting Indian High Commissioner, T.C.A. Raghavan, was reminded of the responsibility of the host government to guarantee the security of the High Commission’s diplomats, staff and their family members.
A simultaneous protest was also lodged in New Delhi by Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner Munawar Bhatti with Dilip Sinha, Additional Secretary (Pakistan) at the Ministry of External Affairs, it is learnt. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Roshan Ali, 19-year-old son of a Pakistan High Commission official, was abducted and harassed by unknown persons in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.
Divulging details of the ghastly incident the statement said: “During his detention at an unknown place, the hands of Roshan Ali were smeared with the fresh blood of three bodies lying in the room.
He was forced to hold a large blood stained knife in his hands and to stand next to the dead bodies.”
“He was then photographed in various poses with the dead bodies,” it said, adding: “Before throwing Roshan Ali out of a vehicle after midnight and taking away all his belongings, a hand written note was stuffed in his pocket.” According to the statement, the threatening note, apparently addressed to Roshan Ali’s father, states that Roshan Ali should be taken out of Delhi within five days because the abductors had photographs that could send him to the gallows.
“Mr. T.C.A. Raghavan, the Acting High Commissioner of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Office today and a strong protest was lodged with him condemning the premeditated and cowardly act,” the tersely worded Foreign Ministry statement said.
“It was underlined that a thorough investigation should be conducted with a view to ensure that such deplorable incidents do not recur in future,” it added.
Mr Raghavan expressed regrets over the unfortunate incident and assured that an investigation would be undertaken and its results would be shared with Pakistan.
Notably this is the second time in one week that Islamabad has lodged a protest against an incident of harassment involving Pakistan High Commission’s staffer in New Delhi.
