Indian diplomat's cellphone seized in Pakistani court during Uzma case hearing

Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the mutilation of Indian army jawans and Islamabad’s plans to execute Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, a senior Indian diplomat’s cellphone was seized on Friday inside a Pakistani court.

According to reports, Piyush Singh, in charge of visas and consular access, was allegedly using his phone to click pictures inside the Islamabad High Court during the hearing in Uzma case.

Pakistani media reported that Singh was seen taking pictures, while he told court that he was texting and not using the camera of the phone. Later, the cellphone was returned to him and no charges were pressed against him.

"This is not a big issue. He didn't know the rule, and took his mobile inside by mistake," said sources.

Singh was present in court on behalf of Uzma, a 20-year-old Indian woman who claimed to have tricked into marrying a Pakistani man and now fears for her life.

Uzma, a resident of New Delhi, on May 8 filed a plea with the Islamabad court against Ali, alleging that she was being harassed and intimidated by him.

ALSO READ | Just married to a Pakistani, Indian woman seeks refuge in Islamabad mission; alleges he already has wife and children

Uzma reached Pakistan on May 1 and travelled to Buner district in the northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to marry Ali on May 3. The couple reportedly met in Malaysia, where Tahir worked as a taxi-driver.

The case has attracted attention on both sides of the border.

ALSO READ | Top Indian diplomat Achamkulangare Gopinathan re-appointed to UN Joint Inspection Unit

(With inputs from agencies)