ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday issued a diplomatic demarche to Norwegian Ambassador Per Albert Ilsaas for attending a Supreme Court hearing on November 11, calling his presence a breach of diplomatic norms and interference in the country’s internal judicial matters.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the move violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty.
Norwegian Ambassador Per Albert Ilsaas attended the Supreme Court of Pakistan hearing of Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case pertaining to controversial social media posts. The diplomat’s presence during the court proceedings generated a lot of chatter on social media.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in a statement, criticised the action, emphasising that the Norwegian Ambassador’s presence in the courtroom was a direct violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), specifically Article 41, which obliges diplomats to respect the laws of the host country and refrain from meddling in its internal affairs.
“Under the Convention’s Article 41, diplomats are bound to respect the laws of the receiving state and not interfere in its internal affairs,” the demarche states.
🔊PR No.3️⃣7️⃣3️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Statement by the Spokesperson
🔗⬇️https://t.co/sULOquDLwY pic.twitter.com/Mw60y0GIrQ
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 11, 2025
“Unfortunately, this is not a singular incident; we have observed a pattern of activity by the Norwegian side where elements hostile to Pakistan state are supported and promoted by Norwegian NGOs,” the spokesperson maintained.
The spokesperson said that court cases related to individuals who are accused of being involved in anti-state activities are a highly sensitive internal matter for the country. He said Pakistan cannot tolerate any association by the diplomatic corps with anti-state elements.
The demarche said Islamabad respects the sovereignty of Norway in its internal matters, and it expects that Norway would also respect Pakistan’s sovereignty.
It emphasized that Norway must continue to abide by its commitments to the Vienna Conventions and observe the norms of diplomatic engagement and protocol in the future.
Responding to media queries regarding the demarche made to the Ambassador of Norway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Norwegian Ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, regarding his unwarranted attendance at a court proceeding in Islamabad.
The statement also asserted that the Norwegian Ambassador’s action is equivalent to an attempt to influence the judicial process in the country, which constitutes a serious violation of diplomatic responsibility and international law.
Pakistan made it clear that it would not tolerate any foreign interference in its domestic matters, reiterating the country’s sovereignty and commitment to international diplomatic standards.
The Foreign Ministry’s response underscores Pakistan’s stance as an independent, self-governing state, determined to protect its sovereignty against external pressures.
