KARACHI, Aug 5: A lawyer filed on Monday a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court questioning the presence of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel in Pakistan and their involvement in several operations and investigations within the country.

In the petition, likely to come up on Aug 7, petitioner Sohail Hameed, advocate, has asked the ministry of interior and other respondents “to explain under what law and authority Pakistani citizens are being allowed to be interrogated and arrested by foreign operatives, in their own country.”

The petitioner has made the ministry of interior and the American FBI, through the US consul-general at Karachi, respondents in the matter.

The petitioner has prayed for directing the respondents to report on the activities of the FBI in Pakistan, and whether they are acting in a manner which is against the principle and dictates of recognition of the independence of the state?

His contention is that any act done in transgression to the independence of the country is without lawful authority, void and of no legal effect.

Mr Hameed has maintained that the USA recognizes independence of Pakistan, therefore it was under obligation to maintain relationship with Pakistan based on the principles of mutual respect for independence.

No doubt, terrorism is spreading and it is to be wiped out, but there should be a mechanism to protect the independence of the country, he has maintained in the petition.

The FBI is operating in Pakistan, however it is imperative that a balance between their sphere of actions and the internal security of Pakistan, viz intelligence network, is maintained.