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Norway has defended the presence of its ambassador at a hearing before the Supreme Court in Islamabad as perfectly “in line with international law”, days after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a demarche to the Scandinavian country’s envoy.
The case belongs to the hearing of husband and wife lawyer duo Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha. Norway’s ambassador, Per Albert Ilsaas, attended the proceedings on Thursday, causing a stir in court and on social media.
The Foreign Ministry summoned the Norwegian envoy and urged him to “adhere to established norms of diplomatic engagement” following his “unjustified” assistance.
Norwegian media outlet Dagbladet reported that Cecilie Roang, senior communications advisor at the country’s Foreign Ministry, said: “Such legal presence and observation of a court hearing in the receiving state is within the functions of embassies and is in line with international law.”
He added that such a presence was something that Norway, along with other countries, did in many places around the world, particularly in “matters of public interest at the place of service.”
“Reporting at home about events in the country of service is a central task of diplomacy. Legally attending public court hearings is not an unusual way of acquiring knowledge,” said the Norwegian ministry’s senior communications advisor.
“Noting that his actions amount to interference in the internal affairs of the country, the ambassador was urged to adhere to the established norms of diplomatic engagement, as outlined in the relevant articles of the Vienna Convention,” Pakistan had said in an earlier statement.
