Mathai telephones Jilani over road accident

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai Tuesday called up his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani and told him that any security concerns Islamabad may have about the security of its staff in New Delhi following a minor traffic accident involving a Pakistani diplomat would be addressed.

Mathai also informed Jilani that action had already been taken in the traffic accident case with the arrest of two people, a statement from the ministry of external affairs said.

“The call was made in the context of need to ensure high-level contact at a time when the Pakistani High Commissioner to India was in Islamabad and the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad was in Delhi for consultations,” the statement said.

Zirgham Raza, first secretary (trade) of the Pakistan High Commission, suffered “minor bruises” in a scuffle that followed after his car hit a motorcycle in south Delhi Monday evening.

The motorcycle driver and a woman pillion rider had allegedly been involved in a scuffle with the diplomat and his driver. The diplomat sustained minor injuries and is now in “stable” condition. The two accused have been arrested.

The Pakistan High Commission, which in a statement termed the incident “most unfortunate and regrettable”, had on Monday “lodged a strong protest over the assault with the Ministry of External Affairs urging immediate and thorough inquiry into the incident”.

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