Burney Deportation: MHA orders Probe

--By our Delhi Correspondent

A high-level probe has been ordered into the Ansar Burney deportation issue. It could be recalled that former Pakistan Human Rights minister Ansar Burney was deported to Dubai on his arrival at IGI Airport yesterday night. He was to attend a 2-day conference in India. The unprecedented deportation caused a diplomatic row between India and Pakistan. The foreign ministry spokesperson said that it could be a mistake.

Meanwhile, after the Foreign Ministry officials held talks with the Ministry of Home counterparts on this issue, a probe has been ordered to find out who issued the circular for the deportation of Ansar Burney. It is an irony that nobody has any information about the order, whereas a former diplomat was deported in an undignified manner. Burney is obviously heartbroken, as he is the one who helped Indian prisoner Kashmir Singh's release from Pakistan jail and later took up Sarabjit Singh's case with the Pakistani government.

The government is still trying to find out why Burney's name was figured in the look-out list and why it was not updated. The look-out notice is normally meant for undesirable elements, suspected terrorists and people wanted in fraud and criminal cases. Ansar Burney said that he saw people crying when he was being deported. He made it clear that his deportation was not due to any glitches, but was done on the instructions from top authorities. Burney confirmed that an immigration official at the IGI Airport recognized him and expressed regret that he had to deport a person of Burney's stature.

According to latest update, the Home Ministry has expressed deep regret over the incovenience caused to Burney because of the deportation and admitted that it was a big mistake. However, the MHA clarified that Burney was denied entry (not deported), as he did not have adequate documentation. The probe will unravel the mystery of the deportation.