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Pak. rejects Italian allegations

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Feb. 1. Pakistan has rejected the allegations levelled by Italian authorities that 28 Pakistanis arrested in Italy belong to an unidentified terrorist network.

``The Pakistanis arrested are innocent but were living in a house that belongs to the mafia of Naples, city of Italy,'' the Pakistani ambassador in Italy, Zafar A. Hilali, told the State-run Pakistan Television.

Mr. Hilali asserted that developments in the last 48 hours, since the arrest of the 28 individuals, have proved beyond doubt that they were completely innocent and had nothing to do with any terror network.

The ambassador said he was worried about the fate of the arrested individuals as under the new Italian law the authorities could detain a person for 18 months without specific charges. The Pakistan embassy in Italy had sought consular access to the arrested individuals but so far it has not been allowed.

Mr. Hilali contended that the arrested Pakistani nationals had applied for work permits and were staying in Naples legally. "None of them had explosives as alleged by the Italian police. Unfortunately, the house they were staying in was apparently owned by the Italian mafia.''

The ambassador said that it is not for the first time that such allegations have been made. ``Already 15 Pakistanis have been in jail for the past six months on a similar charge.''

The Pakistan embassy staff visited them and ascertained that they were innocent labourers. He said there are reasons behind the allegations framed against them. However, the ambassador did not elaborate.

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