Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Pakistan Summons Norwegian Envoy, Issues Demarche Over Supreme Court Visit

Islamabad terms the envoy’s Nov. 11 courtroom attendance a Vienna Convention breach constituting interference.

Overview

  • The Foreign Office called in the ambassador on Dec. 11 and delivered a formal demarche over his presence at the Imaan Mazari hearing.
  • Officials cited Article 41 of the 1961 Vienna Convention, saying diplomats must respect host-country laws and avoid internal political involvement.
  • Pakistan also flagged what it described as a recurring pattern by certain Norwegian NGOs that it claims support actors hostile to the state.
  • A three-judge Supreme Court bench has halted trial-court proceedings in the PECA case involving Mazari pending Islamabad High Court action.
  • Defenders, including Mazari, argue that diplomats routinely observe open court proceedings and that attendance does not signal a stance on a case.