Islamabad police raided the North Korean embassy a few days ago on the pretext that liquor was being sold illegally at the premises. 

Editorial

ISLAMABAD: The diplomatic circles have expressed concern and astonishment as to how police could conduct a raid on the embassy premises. Under the Vienna Convention embassy premises is considered a territory of the respective country therefore it cannot be raided or searched.

It may be mentioned here that the embassy of North Korea lodged a protest with the chief of Islamabad police on Wednesday over a raid at its premises earlier this week, saying the incident was a violation of the Vienna Convention.

In a letter it wrote to the Inspector General of Islamabad Police, the embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said seven police personnel from the federal capital’s F-10 police station, including a woman, made an “unlawful entry” into its premises on Monday (March 7).

 “The mission staff reminded them that the premises of the embassy are sovereign territory of DPRK and asked them to immediately stop this brutal act,” it said. “But the police ignored the request, searched the storerooms at the backyard on the pretext of seizing some items and threatened the staff with guns.” The police officials damaged the door and broke into a room in the basement, the letter stated.

The police claim they raided the embassy after getting news that the mission was involved in selling of liquor illegally. The Police pointed out presence of huge consignment of liquor in the premises.