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Norway has defended its ambassador’s presence at a Supreme Court hearing in Islamabad as fully “in line with international law”, days after the Foreign Ministry launched a demarche to the Scandinavian country’s envoy.
The case concerns the hearing of husband and wife lawyer duo, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha. Norwegian Ambassador Per Albert Ilsaas attended the trial on Thursday, causing a stir in court and on social media.
The Foreign Ministry had summoned the Norwegian envoy and urged him to “adhere to established norms of diplomatic engagement” after his “unwarranted” presence.
Norwegian media outlet Dagbladet reported that Cecilie Roang, senior communications advisor at the country’s foreign ministry, said: “Such legal presence and observation of a court hearing in the recipient state falls within the functions of embassies and is in line with international law.” »
She added that such a presence was something Norway, as well as other countries, did in many places around the world, particularly in “issues of public interest in the workplace.”
“Reporting on events in the country of service is an essential task of diplomacy. Legally attending public court hearings is not an unusual way to gain knowledge,” said the Norwegian ministry’s senior communications advisor.
“Noting that his actions amount to interference in the internal affairs of the country, the Ambassador was requested to adhere to the established norms of diplomatic engagement as defined in the relevant articles of the Vienna Convention,” Pakistan had said in a statement.
