The Pakistan police have released four foreigners bearded in
Taliban-style after detaining them for a short while, at a checkpoint
near Gora Qabristan in Peshawar.
On being stopped by the police, the foreigners rigidly refused to cooperate with the security agencies and open the windows of their land cruiser (numbered IDF 7582) or at least hold up their identity papers.
The foreigners claimed that they were American diplomats heading towards the US embassy in Islamabad, The Nation reports.
One of them was identified as Richard Scott, reports a Pakistani TV channel,while the names of the others were not immediately revealed though all of them later agreed to show their papers and passports to police. The four were freed after the security agencies contacted the US Peshawar consulate and Islamabad embassy,
The foreigners had aroused the speculation of the security authorities as they decided to stay in the locked vehicle.
Talking to the media after the release of the foreigners, Superintendent of Police Cantt Shafiullah said the identities of the four were confirmed with the US embassy and consulate. However, he said the police had their limitations on such cases.
The incident may well spur a fresh debate on sovereignty as the arrogance with which the four Americans scoffed at the country's security apparatus.
Pakistan has for long accused United States of running a parallel espionage network in the country. Following deterioration of law and order in the country and the unilateral Abbottabad raid resulting in Osama bin Laden's death, Pakistan security agencies have decided to thin out the presence of American contractors in the country. ANI
