The Foreign Office recalled that under Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, diplomats are obligated to respect the laws of the host state and refrain from involvement in internal judicial matters
DNA
ISLAMABAD, December 11, 2025: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, Per Albert Ilsaas, and issued a formal demarche after the envoy attended proceedings at the Supreme Court of Pakistan in a high-profile case involving human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha.
According to an official statement from the Foreign Office, the ambassador’s presence at the hearing was “unwarranted” and amounted to **interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs,” in violation of diplomatic norms outlined in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The Foreign Office recalled that under Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, diplomats are obligated to respect the laws of the host state and refrain from involvement in internal judicial matters. Islamabad described the envoy’s attendance as a breach of this protocol and a risk to the independence of the country’s legal system.
In delivering the demarche, senior officials stressed that Pakistan would not tolerate actions perceived as external interference in sensitive legal proceedings. The ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting the country’s sovereignty and the integrity of its judicial process. The Supreme Court hearing in question was part of an ongoing judicial review involving Ms. Mazari and Mr. Chattha’s challenge to earlier decisions by the Islamabad High Court in a case related to controversial social media posts. The trial has drawn significant public attention and legal debate in recent weeks.
The Norwegian envoy’s attendance sparked discussion on social media and among legal circles, with some defending the diplomatic practice of observing court proceedings and others raising concerns about diplomatic boundaries. In response to the controversy, Pakistani authorities formally underscored the limits of acceptable diplomatic engagement, particularly in matters involving the nation’s legal institutions.
The Norwegian Embassy has yet to issue an official response to the demarche.
