Ill-treatment to envoy’s wife at Karachi:
India lodges strong protest
NEW DELHI, April 26, From Our Spl. Representative The relations between India and Pakistan with the closure of the Dacca mission would get more strained and the repatriation and other issues involved might present difficulties.
The wife of our Dacca Deputy High Commissioner. Mrs. K. C. Sen Gupta had returned to India from Dacca via Karachi. But she was subjected to most objectionabe treatment both at Dacca and Karachi, about which India had lodged a strong protest and demanded of Pakistani sufficient amends as the Pakistan behaviour constituted flagrant violations of the Vienna convention and international norms.
Mrs. Sen Gupta and our regular diplomatic courier were even stopped at one stage on April 23 at Karachi from coming to India by the
K. L. M. flight to Delhi, but at the personal Intervention of the Indian High Commissioner with the Pakistan Foreign Secretary they were enabled to leave Karachi. They arrived here two days ago.
The behaviour of the Pakistani officials vis-a-vis the wife of the Indian Deputy High Commissioner and other India personnel travelling between Pakistan and India are manifestly so uncivilised and so contrary to diplomatic ethics that makes one feel that Pakistan has grown gittery and panicky. In its dealing with Indian diplomatic personnel the Pakistani officials are not observing the normal courtesies which even belligerents would do. India is not certainly a beligerent country, and she does not regard as yet Pakistan either to beligerent in relation to India.
TEXT OF NOTE
The following is text of the note relating to the objectionable treatment meted out to Mrs. Sen Gupta :
“On April 21, 1971. Smt. Sen Gupta, wife of Sri K. C. Sen Gupta, Deputy High Commissioner for India at Dacca, was subjected by police and other authorities at Karachi Airport to highly objectionable treatment. On her why to Delhi from Karachi, she had just boarded the bus. taking passengers from the terminal to the aircraft, when a number of police officials appeared and told her to come out of the bus. In fact she was taken off the bus in full view of the other passengers in a most undignified, humiliating and insulting manner. She was forced to go back to the terminal building and her baggage was also forcibly offloaded. Subsequently she was told that she would not be permitted to leave. She had no choice then But to take shelter with the Assistant High Commissioner for India at Karachi. The Government of India have also learned with alarm and concern that prior to this incident, she had been subjected to a search of her person at Dacca airport on her way from Dacca to Karachi by a PIA flight.
“The Ministry would also like to draw the attention of the High Commissioner to further instances of violation of the Vienna convention by the Government of Pakistan.
“On the 23rd April 1971. Smt Sen Gupta and the regular diplomatic courier of the High Commission for India in Pakistan were both told by the authorities at Karachi Airport where they had gone to take the KLM flight to Delhi, that they would not he permitted to leave. This again was outrageous conduct on the part of the officials concerned, who were undoubtedly acting under orders. It required personal intervention by the High Commissioner for India to obtain from the Foreign Secretary to the Government of Pakistan personal orders to permit Smt. Sen Gupta and the courier to leave. While acknowledging the assistance given by the Foreign Secretary to the Government of Pakistan the Ministry cannot but express its grave concern and take a serious view of those incidents in which the official agents of the Government of Pakistan acted, obviously under orders, in flagrant violation of the immunities and privileges that Smt. Sen Gupta and the courier were entiteled to. The Ministry strongly protests against such uncivilised and condemnable behaviour of the Pakistan authorities, and demands that not only should the culprits be punished but also suitable amends be made by the authorities responsible for these outrages.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard 27.4.1971