M A I N   N E W S

Indian staffer in Pak assaulted

ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (PTI) — A staffer of the Indian High Commission here, Mr P. Moses, was today assaulted by Pakistani intelligence operatives who accused him of attempting to deliver a bomb and some money to unknown persons.

The whereabouts of Mr Moses, who was shown on PTV with a badly bruised cheek, were not known till late tonight.

An AFP report quoting a police official Jamil Hashmi said Mr Moses was arrested as he was allegedly carrying a packet with an explosive device, Rs 5,000 and a letter with instructions that the device be used in the main Raja Bazar market in the nearby city of Rawalpindi.

Mr Hashmi alleged Mr Moses was in a taxi which was stopped at a checkpoint. “We opened the packet and found and explosive device”, he claimed.

State-run Pakistan Television, flashing a picture of Mr Moses with a badly bruised cheek in the main 9.30 p.m. (IST) bulletin, accused him of attempting to deliver a bomb to some unknown persons along with Rs 5,000.

Mr Moses was assaulted after he left his residence on way to a church.

The Indian High Commission here has lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan Government and termed the allegations as baseless and unfounded.

The acting Indian High Commissioner Sudhir Vyas told PTI: “The Government of Pakistan did not think it fit to inform us. We have got in touch with them both orally and in writing on the basis of the news we saw on TV in which Mr Moses was physically presented under duress.

“We regret the allegation as unfounded and totally baseless and strongly condemn such an act as contrary to Pakistan’s obligations under the Vienna Convention as well as the bilateral code of conduct for treatment of each others diplomats and consular persons”.

Karmapa can stay for ‘some time’

NEW DELHI, Jan 16 (UNI) — Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Panja tonight said the government had no qualms over the 17th Karmapa staying in the country for “some time” and was confident that this issue would be amicably settled with China.

Mr Panja supported Defence Minister George Fernandes’ view that the Karmapa should be allowed to stay in the country stating “he is purely a religious man and there is no restriction in India on performing religious rituals.”

The Minister clarified that the 14-year-old Lama had not applied for political asylum.