ISLAMABAD,(PTI): The Indian Consul General in Karachi, Manilal Tripathi has been accused of misusing his diplomatic status” by taking away two Indian nationals “without valid travel documents” from the airport to his residence,

The official news agency APP’s report said the matter had been reported to the Pakistan foreign office which was taking it up with the Indian high commission here.

An Indian high commission spokesman said so far the issue had not been brought to the notice of the mission.

According to the report, Tripathi received the Indian Nationals, Johar Lal and his wife Sukhna Lal, coming from Australia, at the airport and took the couple away through the VIP lounge, along with their luggage “without immigration and customs clearance.” The Consul General left a consulate official to complete the immigration and customs formalities. “The immigration authorities, on checking, found the couple without valid travel documents. They asked the official to bring the couple back to the airport, since they were not in possession of valid documents,” the report said. The report alleged that the Indian consul general “resisted” the immigration requirement. The high commission spokesman described the report as exaggerated” and said escorting guests was a facility given to heads of mission,

Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1992