Pakistan summons Norwegian ambassador over 'interference in internal affairs'

Pakistan issued on Thursday a strong demarche to Norway’s ambassador, Per Albert Ilsaas, over what it described as “unwarranted and unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal judicial affairs.

The move follows Pakistan’s Supreme Court halting the trial of human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Chatha, who face prosecution over social media posts that authorities allege were defamatory and incited public disorder.

The case has attracted both domestic and international attention, with lawyers, journalists, human rights observers and the Norwegian ambassador attending Thursday’s hearing.

Responding to media queries about the demarche, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Norwegian Ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office by the additional foreign secretary (Europe) over his attendance at a court proceeding in Islamabad.

He added that the visit constituted a breach of diplomatic protocol and relevant international law. The spokesperson noted that the ambassador’s actions amounted to interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs and urged him to adhere to established norms of diplomatic engagement, as outlined in the Vienna Convention.

According to officials cited by sources, the Foreign Office referred to Article 41 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which obliges diplomats to respect the laws of the host state and refrain from interfering in internal affairs. Pakistan also conveyed that a foreign ambassador attending a politically sensitive, ongoing court case could create the perception of influencing judicial proceedings - an act considered a serious breach of diplomatic conduct and international law.

Sources added that authorities referenced earlier instances in which Norway-based NGOs, particularly those operating under human rights advocacy banners, were allegedly found supporting individuals or groups engaged in activities deemed “anti-Pakistan,” a pattern Islamabad considers a cause for concern.