Indian embassy staff arrested in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: Pakistani authorities arrested an employee of the Indian High Commission on Sunday, accusing him of carrying a "remote control explosive device," police said today, reports Reuters.
The arrest comes amid heightened tension between Pakistan and India, locked in a war of words after the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane last month.
The police said the staff member of the Indian embassy in Islamabad, identified as P Moses, was arrested on Sunday night carrying a remote control explosive device and a sum of money in a taxi.
The Indian High Commission issued a statement protesting the arrest, saying the allegations were unfounded and baseless.
"The High Commission of India has lodged a strong protest at this action of the government of Pakistan and has called upon it to take urgent steps for the immediate release and safe return of Mr Moses," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's ruler Gen Musharraf denied his country was involved in the hijacking and said in an interview published today the hijackers were not in Pakistan.
"They are not in Pakistan. I categorically deny this statement," he said, when asked by the Hindu newspaper about Indian allegations of Islamabad's involvement.
"And if they come into Pakistan, they will be tried under normal law," he said. "We do not support hijacking at all. We are against all forms of terrorism and hijacking is one form of terrorism."
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