UK APOLOGISES TO PAKISTAN FOR ARRESTS

Britain’s anti-terror police expressed apologies after detaining Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s younger brother, Wajahat, along with his three nephews and two other people after their arrival in London from Spain and putting them on a flight to Pakistan after several hours of interrogation at a detention centre. They were not allowed to enter Britain. The highly dramatic, and somewhat humiliating, development took place at London’s Gatwick airport where the anti-terrorist squad was already present when Chaudhry Wajahat’s flight arrived from Barcelona. The apology came after more than 24 hours of the detention, and subsequent deportation, as a result of intense diplomatic efforts. In a brief three-line statement, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) expressed regret on “any inconvenience and distress” caused to Chaudhry Wajahat and other members of his group. The FCO did not specify the reasons for the arrest and deportation, but said that all of them were free to return to the UK and that their visas were unaffected. On his return to Pakistan, Wajahat Hussain described the entire development as extremely humiliating.