DR Ghulam Nabi Fai's arrest for purportedly threatening US national security and having alleged links to the ISI must come as a surprise to many, including US officials, who have known him for decades as a political activist with an unblemished record. As director of the Kashmiri American Council, Dr Fai had been working for projecting the cause of Kashmir's freedom to the American people by means which until his arrest on Tuesday had never aroused suspicion. A PhD in mass communications from Temple University, Pennsylvania, Dr Fai is a recipient of some prestigious American awards. Against this background, the National Security authorities' allegation that Dr Fai is an ISI agent does not appear credible. The prosecutors alleged that Dr Fai and another Pakistani, Zaheer Ahmad, acted in a manner that tried to hide Islamabad's involvement in efforts to influence US policy on Kashmir through organisations which were funded by the ISI.

Lobbying in America is a recognised political activity and profession operating within the law. The lobbies range from ethnic and denominational groups to those catering to commercial interests, and help clarify issues for lawmakers. Dr Fai and his organisation have behaved no differently. He is not linked to any terrorist activity directly or indirectly. All along he has acted as a political activist projecting the cause of Kashmir's freedom to the American people. It appears that the main allegation against him was of violating lobbying laws by taking money from another country. If that is the case, the issue could have been raised during the recent negotiations between the ISI and CIA chiefs at a time of strained US-Pakistan ties. His arrest at this stage, after decades of peaceful work, can only be considered as yet another manifestation of the post-9/11 paranoia characterising the policies of America's security set-up.