Pakistan investigates alleged consul’s diplomatic status in Malawi
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Maravipost
Pakistani authorities are examining how Malawian businessman Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry came to present himself as Pakistan’s former deputy consul in Malawi. The inquiry concerns a possible official appointment, diplomatic accreditation and documents sent to Malawian authorities, according to MaraviPost.
Pakistani authorities are investigating the diplomatic status claimed by Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry, a businessman based in Malawi who says he served as Pakistan’s deputy consul in the country for three years, MaraviPost reports. The investigation is to establish whether his appointment was formally decided and whether the Malawian authorities were notified through diplomatic channels.
Chaudhry says he was introduced in 2018 to the then Malawian president, Arthur Peter Mutharika, at Sanjika Palace by Riaz H. Bukhari, then Pakistan’s ambassador to Zimbabwe. Raja Ilyas Khan Satt, Pakistan’s honorary consul in Malawi at the time, is also said to have attended the meeting. Investigators are examining any appointment letters and official notifications in particular.
A Malawian passport seen by Nyasa Times indicates that Chaudhry is a Malawian citizen, born in Gujrat, Pakistan, and that a passport was issued to him in Blantyre in 2009. A letter from Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Ministry dated 12 October 2022 says the ministry had given him an identity card to facilitate steps related to the proposed establishment of a Pakistani honorary consulate. The letter states that the ministry could not confirm that he had diplomatic status or immunity.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
