Pak Diplomats Drawing Attention Because of Sexual Abuse, Human Trafficking in Europe
NEW DELHI, (IANS) – Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari canceled his European trip to Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The Europeans wanted to discuss several threats posed by illegal and extremist Pakistanis.
Had all gone well, Bhutto would have been in Europe at a time when Pakistani diplomats are making news across the continent for sexual harassment as well as human trafficking. And, it is not just the diplomats, even Pakistani nationals in Europe are trending on social media for all the wrong reasons.
Last week Mirza Salman Babar Baig, Pakistan’s consul general in Barcelona, was recalled from Spain and suspended over sexual harassment charges.
Pakistani media said that a local employee of the Barcelona consulate lodged a complaint related to sexual harassment against the Pakistani consul general.
She added that once the consul general even attempted a sexual assault on her in a Barcelona hotel.
Another Pakistani diplomat in Europe is under the scanner over allegations of human smuggling. Pakistani diplomat Dr Israr Husain, working as additional secretary in Europe, allegedly tried to persuade European embassies in Islamabad to stamp visas illegally for Pakistanis.
His cover was blown up by a former Pakistani government official-turned-visa-consultant who lodged a complaint against him with evidence in the form of forms, receipts, emails, and bank documents, Pakistani newspaper The News International reported.
Among his many illegal dealings, diplomat Husain had once tried to gain illegal entry for a group of Qawwals from Pakistan along with ten other Pakistanis. He promised to the entire group that he would even provide them work and residency permits in the Czech Republic. Husain collected up to Rs 1.5 million from everyone for the work permits but left them in the lurch. This group of Pakistanis eventually had to seek asylum.
If Islamabad’s diplomats are caught tarnishing their country’s reputation in Europe, Pakistani nationals too are not far behind. A couple of months back, “Pakistani Perverts” and “Pakistani Get Out” hashtags trended for weeks on Twitter. The reason — people in Turkey caught Pakistani men making inappropriate videos of children and women. Istanbul Police arrested two Pakistan men for secretly taking photos of women and posting them online. In other cases, Turkish authorities apprehended Pakistanis for criminal activities as well.
