New Delhi: Former Pakistan human rights minister Ansar Burney was not allowed to enter India on the advice of the Pakistan government, CNN-IBN on Sunday learnt from sources in Pakistan Prime Minister’s office.
Burney, who had come to Delhi on May 30 to attend a peace conference, was sent back from the Indira Gandhi International Airport soon after his arrival.
The sources revealed that Burney’s personal initiative on behalf of Indian prisoners was not to the government's liking.
They also added prisoner swapping is an internal matter between the governments of the two countries and no individual can decide any case or take credit.
Earlier, Home Ministry sources had told CNN-IBN that Burney was sent back on the basis of a 'Lookout Notice' issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad about a year ago. For some reason, the sources said, that notice was never revoked.
In an official statement though, the Ministry said that he was deported because of lack of proper documentation.
"Burney was denied entry and not deported on account of inadequate documentation. It may be mentioned that no such difficulty had arisen when Mr Burney visited India in April 2008 when requisite information about his visit was available in advance. The inconvenience to Mr Burney is unfortunate and regrettable," the Ministry had explained.
Despite the apologies, the man who was instrumental in securing the release of Kashmir Singh, an Indian prisoner languishing in a Pakistani jail for 35 years, said he was hurt by the treatment meted out to him in India.
"It was so surprising for me. It was so painful. I cannot imagine such type of behaviour with me in India," a bruised and humiliated Burney said.
Burney, however, added that he suspected Pakistan government’s hand to be behind his deportation from India.
"It might be because of some jealously among government people. They do not like me to be in India as people of India like me. They must be waiting in Pakistan as well as India that if people die in jails, then can do politics over the dead bodies. But I will not allow them," he said.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is expected in Delhi later this month when the case of Sarabjit and other prisoners, whether Indian or Pakistani, will be discussed.
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