Pak govt behind Burney's deportation: Sources

New Delhi: Former Pakistan human rights minister Ansar Burney was not allowed to enter India on the advice of the Pakistan government, CNN-IBN on Sunday learnt from sources in Pakistan Prime Minister’s office.
Burney, who had come to Delhi on May 30 to attend a peace conference, was sent back from the Indira Gandhi International Airport soon after his arrival.
The sources revealed that Burney’s personal initiative on behalf of Indian prisoners was not to the government's liking.
They also added prisoner swapping is an internal matter between the governments of the two countries and no individual can decide any case or take credit.
Earlier, Home Ministry sources had told CNN-IBN that Burney was sent back on the basis of a 'Lookout Notice' issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad about a year ago. For some reason, the sources said, that notice was never revoked.
In an official statement though, the Ministry said that he was deported because of lack of proper documentation.
Despite the apologies, the man who was instrumental in securing the release of Kashmir Singh, an Indian prisoner languishing in a Pakistani jail for 35 years, said he was hurt by the treatment meted out to him in India.
Burney, however, added that he suspected Pakistan government’s hand to be behind his deportation from India.
01/06/08 CNN-IBN

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Categories: Airports May 2008, Foreign May 2008