Special To WSN ISLAMABAD: A party to honor the new Indian Ambassador to Pakistan has been severely criticized here because a number of guests were in abreated and had to be carried out.

The party at the Indian embassy here was to welcome Joginder Nath Dikshit as the new Ambassador. He was earlier the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo. The party was held on the twenty seventh Holy day of Ramzan when all the Muslims undertake a fast during the day and even touching alcohol is a taboo.

Alcohol was freely served at the party and a number of the guests were carried out to hospitals.

This insensitive action by the embassy has been severely criticized by Islamic circles. Pakistan has a prohibition and foreign diplomats here are normally very sensitive to the negative implications of serving alcohol on official parties. ‘A western diplomat here said that for India, which has a large Muslim population, to throw a party and serve alcohol during the holy month of Ramzan is “extraordinarily stupid.”

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 12, 1989