Burney bungle: A 16-yr-old notice lands India in spot

However, sources pointed out that such notices have been issued against several Pakistan nationals in phases when the relationship between the two countries were sour. The same holds true for Pakistan. In due course, such circulars are either revised or withdrawn, which obviously did not happen in this case.

Burney had visited India a month ago but this circular did not come in the way of him crossing the border at Wagah. As it turns out, he was here on an invitation of the Punjab Chief Minister, which meant the protocol department took care of immigration, usually a formality in such cases.

This time, however, he was here on a private visit to attend an International Conference on Terrorism organised by the Jama Masjid United Forum. And during screening by immigration on Friday at Delhi airport, the old circular showed up on the computer, following which officials acted as per “standard procedures”.

Realising the error, India lost no time today in officially contacting Burney in London, expressing regret for what had happened and inviting him to come to India whenever he wants. “The inconvenience to Mr. Burney is unfortunate and regrettable and he is always welcome to visit India. This has also been conveyed to Mr. Burney by a senior officer who spoke to him today,” the Home Ministry said in a statement today.

The botch-up has shown the government in poor light, particularly after Burney’s assistance in releasing Kashmir Singh. He was also responsible for arranging for Sarabjit Singh’s sister to visit him in prison while he awaits the fate of the death sentence against him. Burney’s continuing role in Sarabjit’s case, which is a politically sensitive matter here, remains important for New Delhi.

Given the embarrassment, the Home Ministry has taken the plea of “improper documentation”. According to the Home Ministry, Burney was travelling on a SAARC sticker issued to ministers in SAARC countries so that they are saved of the hassle of obtaining visas. However, officials added that it was not clear to the Immigration official whether Burney could be permitted to use the sticker after he had demitted office following the formation of an elected government in Pakistan couple of months ago.

In response to India’s statement, Burney said: “It is a shocking statement. Either the Indian government is sorry for what has happened or it says I didn’t have proper documentation. It cannot be both. If I did not have proper documents, then why are you sorry at all? But I want to know how I could travel with the same SAARC visa six weeks ago and now the same documents are not proper. Even six week ago, I wasn’t a minister. My status has not changed. Why are they concealing the truth?”

Burney said the immigration official was fully aware of what needed to be done in case of someone travelling on a SAARC sticker. “Separate forms are to be filled out and the official had even taken out those forms when a superior official came up to him, took him aside and then I don’t know what happened. Let me tell you, the plane was delayed so that I could be sent back in it,” he told The Sunday Express from London.

Clearly, Burney was not aware of the details and even suspected Pakistan government’s hand in this. “The Pakistan government needs to clarify whether it had made any request to India. The truth behind this must come out… I have nothing against the people of India and would love to come back. An Indian official spoke to me and I appreciate their apologies in the matter. But everyone needs to know about what really happened. It was humiliating to be sent back from the airport in such a manner.”

All the speculation in Pakistan over whether the new government or any other agency there had a role to play in this resulted in the Pakistan High Commission officially seeking details from India.

When contacted, Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner to India Afrasiab confirmed that official channels had indeed been activated. “We have requested the Indian government today to provide us all the information related to this incident.”

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry and the MEA have initiated inquiries to get to ascertain the basis of the alert generated in 1992 and why was it not revised for so many years.

Also, sources said, India will take up the issue of getting more clarity on the validity of SAARC stickers after the person concerned has demitted the office for which this privilege is permissible.