ISLAMABAD:
The Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned Norway’s ambassador to lodge a strong protest after he attended Supreme Court proceedings in a case of human rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari, a move Islamabad said amounted to “unwarranted intrusion” into the country’s internal judicial affairs.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MoFA), the ambassador was summoned by the Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe) and informed that his presence at the Supreme Court during an ongoing criminal hearing constituted a violation of diplomatic protocol and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The envoy was told that such conduct could be construed as interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs and should be avoided in the future.
The development came hours after the Supreme Court stayed the lower court proceedings against Imaan Mazari and her husband Abdul Hadi Mohammad Ali, who are facing charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) for allegedly posting controversial material on social media.
The appearance of the Norwegian envoy in the court rostrum during the high-profile hearing provoked a strong reaction within official circles, which ultimately resulted in the formal management.
The Foreign Ministry maintained that Pakistan values its relationship with Norway but expects all diplomatic missions to act strictly within the limits of international law.
