The Pakistani Spectator

July 9, 2010 is the date, up to which Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja extended judicial custody of Ms Madhuri Gupta. The allegations against her were that she passed classified information to Pakistani intelligence officers. Interestingly, the issue of passing information to Pakistan has acquired a secondary place and much focus is being given to the brigade of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) operatives in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The chiefs for Pakistan and Afghanistan desks are under a cloud. Some of the senior RAW officials are being interrogated and many have been put under house arrest. For a while, it seems that no one in Indian agencies is loyal to the nation.

The other day, we had discussion on the independence and power of Indian media. No doubt, the Indian media very boldly telecast breaking news about the arrest of a RAW official namely Ms Gupta. One wonders can anyone in India dare to cover such highly confidential story without the permission of the authorities. Nobody in India has any doubt about the Indian media’s capabilities. On the condition of anonymity, one of the top Indian journalist disclosed, “neither Indian press is so powerful as to have sources in RAW and foreign missions nor they can risk their lives and futures of their children’s by leaking stories like that of Ms Gupta to the press without an official consent”. Ms Gupta case is quite evident that in order to get rid to certain intelligence officials, a drama of leakage of classified data is being played.

In is pertinent to mention here that Ms Gupta was working as Second Secretary in the Press and Information Wing at Indian High Commission in Islamabad and was arrested from her New Delhi’s residence on April 22, when the Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) intercepted her call to a Kashmiri family in Srinagar. Although she is facing charges for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act but so far even the charge sheet has not been filed by the Police.

Ms Gupta was officially assigned by RAW to contact Pakistani journalists and members of civil society. It was a common feature that invitation was extended by Indian High Commissioner to various Pakistani personalities, holding important portfolios. The fact cannot be denied that Gupta’s links with Pakistani journalists were official assignments by RAW bosses in New Delhi and Jammu. Interestingly, when certain officials in Indian High Commission were approached, they had no knowledge about Ms Gupta. The lady operators, assistants and desk officers they indicated had no resemblance with Ms Gupta. Excuse that since all diplomatic personnel in Indian missions are not from the Foreign Service, no one has met or heard about Ms Gupta is beyond comprehension. One fails to understand that how it is possible that Ms Gupta was present at all the important and confidential discussions with Pakistan, when the many diplomats and staff were completely ignorant about this lady. Further, discussions between Indian and Pakistani officials always take place in English then what was fun in having interpreter.

RAW agent is certainly not a diplomat and her appointment as a diplomat is totally misleading. Even if we accept that she reportedly translated a few Pakistani Urdu newspaper articles in English he work is not in the knowledge of Indian High Commissioner or his deputy. It seems that RAW has established independent wing in Islamabad which does not fall under the normal channel or Indian High Commissioner. Now when the cat is out of the bag and it has been confirmed that Ms Gupta was employee in RAW, why action is not being taken against her for the breach of diplomatic norms. It has been so far confirmed that Ms Gupta was assigned to motivate Pakistani journalists and other officials to prepare grounds for Sufi culture invasion in Pakistan, in order to discourage orthodox Islam in the society. Due to the same reason, during her M.Phil she researched in studies regarding Islam and Sufism? In fact, it was a plot to pollute the mind of Pakistanis with Indian originated polluted Sufi thoughts.

Although the diplomatic norms and practices are ancient and have been recognized by every state, they have been codified in the 1961 Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic Relations to remove confusion and doubt as to what diplomatic agents can or cannot do in a host country. It is true that a diplomatic staff cannot be submitted to any form of criminal proceedings by way of reprisal. The only remedy is that they can be declared “personae non gratae” and asked to leave the country. However, the case of Ms Gupta is different as New Delhi has itself accepted that she was a RAW agent operating in Pakistan. Since there is a strong possibility of he direct or indirect involvement in terrorism, there is a need of through probe and in her case, Article 44 (4) of Additional Protocol I to Geneva Conventions applies. Islamabad must contact New Delhi for extradition of Ms Madhura Gupta to Pakistan, so that she along with other Indian agents can be investigated and punished accordingly.