Pakistan mission in UK seeks action against PTI for entering premises

• Pakistani mission in its diplomatic communication has not named anyone but has handed over two video clips to UK authorities.
• Source at Pakistan High Commission says that the mission will push the UK government to take action against the culprits.
• PTI UK leader Sahibzada Jahangir has denied involvement in hooliganism or any illegal activity.

LONDON: The Pakistan High Commission has asked the British government to take action against PTI leaders who had allegedly forcefully entered the mission’s premises and threatened the diplomatic staff.

Sources, within the Pakistan High Commission and the UK Foreign Office, have confirmed that the Pakistani mission has requested action via two “note verbales”. The PTI leaders had entered the Pakistan high commission the same day former prime minister Imran Khan was leading his “Azadi March” from Peshawar to Islamabad.

To show solidarity with their followers in Pakistan, the PTI’s UK chapter had organised a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London.

Sources said that the Pakistani mission in its diplomatic communication has not named anyone but has handed over two video clips to the UK authorities. They say that in the video officials can recognise at least five PTI activists who had forcefully entered the building to hand over a petition against the incumbent Pakistani government.

The diplomatic complaint, a copy of which was seen by Geo News, says that the high commission’s staff was harassed, threatened and assaulted. They have also attached the evidence of the assault, illegal entry and violation of the property.

A source at Pakistan High Commission told Geo News, said that the mission will push the UK government to take action against the culprits.

“This is not the first time our staff has come under attack. Previously, stones were thrown at our building, death threats were issued and now the protestors forced their way inside. We call on the UK government to take these incidents seriously,” the source told Geo News.

Footage of the incident

The footage that has been sent by Pakistani authorities shows PTI leader Sahibzada Jahangir leading a group of PTI activists inside the high commission’s premises. Others who are visible in the footage include solicitors Mahtab Aziz, Shahid Destagir, Malik Imran, Jahanzaib Khan and two others.

The Pakistani mission has also highlighted the footage where a PTI leader is seen issuing threats to a member of the diplomatic staff and pushing him.

However, a footage that went viral showed PTI leader Sahibzada Jahangir and others arguing with the receptionist to get them through to the Pakistan High Commissioner Moazzam Ali Khan. They wanted to meet the Pakistani envoy so that he could come and accept the petition.

According to the footage, the PTI leader was also seen threatening a serving military officer to come and receive the petition. 

One of the PTI leaders told a senior diplomat, who arrived to receive the petition, that he and other diplomats will be posted to far-flung areas such as Dadu as soon Imran Khan returns to power for making him wait to accept the petition.

Jahangir denies involvement in incident

On the other hand, PTI UK leader Sahibzada Jahangir has denied involvement in hooliganism or any illegal activity.

Jahangir said that he had entered the mission’s building to present a petition against the incumbent government to register the PTI UK chapter’s protest against the actions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

The PTI leader, who was former prime minister Imran Khan’s focal person for UK and Europe, assured that no violence took place inside the commission’s premises.