Pak High Commission seeks factual position from India about Burney’s deportation

Associated Press of Pakistan (31 May 2008)

NEW DELHI, May 31 APP: Pakistan High Commission here has sought from India about the factual position on the issue of deportation of Pakistan human rights activist Ansar Burney, who was deported from Indira Gandhi Airport on Friday night.

When contacted, Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner told APP on Saturday that the High Commission has taken up the matter with Indian Ministry of External Affairs requesting to provide factual position under what circumstances Ansar Burney was sent back from the airport.

Meanwhile, according to official sources, the Secretaries of Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs held meeting to discuss the issue.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to give information that why Ansar Burney, who has been fighting for the cause of Indian prisoners in Pakistan, was deported.

However, the MEA sources said the ministry was not aware  of the developments till it appeared in the media after the deportation.

Ministry of Home Affairs sources said the former care- taker Pakistan Minister for Human Rights was sent back because of a “look-out notice” against him.

Ansar Burney had visited India last month and met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

Meanwhile, Ansar Burney who had gone back to London after deportation said the Indian immigration officials cited “orders from higher ups” for not allowing him into the country. The officials told him that he would be deported because of a “look-out” notice against him.

“I had informed the Indian Commission in Pakistan about my visit to Delhi and also my flight number a week back,” media reports quoting him said from London.

Narrating the ordeal at the airport, he said he landed at the Delhi airport in Flight EK 514 and approached the immigration counter where the officer was very happy to see him.

“However, as soon as he put my passport through the scanner machine, his smile vanished and he asked me to sit in one of the officers’ room. I tried to inquire about the delay but was assigned no reason till two immigration officials accompanied by Emirate Airlines staff came and informed we that there were orders from higher ups not to allow me into the country,” he said.

He was asked to sign on my deportation papers and hurriedly packed into the Emirates Airlines which was also delayed because of me,” Burney said.

Burney said he informed Indian officials that he was in Delhi only one-and-a-half months back and he had meetings with Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.  “So why was he being banned entry now, “ he asked them. “In fact, when I spoke to Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Satyabrata Pal and told him that I have the SAARC visa issued to prominent citizens, he told me there is no problem and that I can go anywhere”.

He refuted reports that he had not valid visa to travel to India. Ansar Burney said he had a valid SAARC visa issued to prominent citizens.

Ansar Burney said the immigration officials told him “I have always got a lot of love and respect in India and so I was totally shocked”. He cited one of the reasons for deportation about his plans to take up the issue of the custodial deaths of four Pakistani nationals in Indian jails.

“The four Pakistanis, including a woman, have died in the past three months and I was planning to seek an inquiry into the matter,” he said.

However, Burney said such ordeal would not affect his work for the rehabilitation and release of Indian and Pakistani prisoners. “A wrong has been done to me but I will not take it out on these unfortunate individuals,” he said.

He said his purpose to come to India was to attend a conference on terrorism and to meet some political leaders on the ongoing Pak-India peace process.

He also wanted to raise issue of custodial deaths of four Pakistani prisoners lodged in Indian jails and go to Jaipur for offering prayers for all those who were killed in the recent terror attacks.. “My purpose was only peace and nothing else,” he added.

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