Pakistani authorities are examining the circumstances in which a Malawi-based businessman came to be described as a Pakistani diplomatic representative, amid questions over whether the necessary appointment and accreditation procedures were completed.
The inquiry centres on Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry, who has said he served as Pakistan’s Deputy Consul in Malawi for three years.
Sources familiar with the matter said officials in Islamabad are seeking to establish whether a formal appointment was made, whether the Malawian government was notified through the appropriate diplomatic channels and what status, if any, was recognised by authorities in Lilongwe.
Chaudhry has cited a 2018 meeting at Sanjika Palace during which Pakistan’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Riaz H. Bukhari, allegedly introduced him to then president Arthur Peter Mutharika as a Deputy Consul. Pakistan’s honorary consul in Malawi at the time, Raja Ilyas Khan Satt, is said to have been present.
However, diplomatic recognition is generally dependent on formal appointment and accreditation processes rather than public introductions or ceremonial events.
Investigators are understood to be interested in any appointment letters, diplomatic correspondence and official notifications relating to Chaudhry’s alleged role.
Passport and nationality questions
A Malawian passport seen by Nyasa Times identifies Chaudhry as a Malawian citizen who was born in Gujrat, Pakistan, and was issued with a Malawian passport in Blantyre in 2009.
The document has prompted questions about whether he was eligible to act as a representative of Pakistan.
Diplomats and legal experts note, however, that nationality alone does not determine the validity of a consular appointment, which would depend on the applicable laws, regulations and diplomatic arrangements.
2022 ministry letter
Questions about Chaudhry’s status were heightened by a letter dated 12 October 2022 from Malawi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The letter, signed by then secretary Joel Immanuel Matonga, stated that the ministry had issued Chaudhry with an identity card to facilitate activities related to the proposed establishment of an honorary Pakistani consulate.
The correspondence also stated that the ministry could not confirm that Chaudhry held diplomatic status or enjoyed diplomatic immunities and privileges.
Diplomatic sources noted that an identity card issued for administrative purposes does not in itself constitute accreditation as a diplomat or confer immunity.
Vehicle registrations examined
Several vehicles linked to Chaudhry, including those bearing registrations CA09, CA101 and CA9290, have also attracted scrutiny.
Sources said inquiries are focusing on whether diplomatic number plates, customs concessions or duty waivers were granted, what documentation was relied upon and whether any benefits continued after questions were raised about his status.
Court proceedings
The issue also arose during Civil Cause No. 120 of 2022, a dispute involving Speedys Limited and a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
In an affidavit filed in the proceedings, lawyer Lusungu Gondwe, acting for Riaz Jakhura, asserted that Chaudhry was entitled to diplomatic immunity.
The court subsequently directed that clarification be sought from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding whether Chaudhry was a recognised diplomatic or consular representative.
The ministry’s response did not confirm such status.
The case has since prompted questions about the accuracy of representations made in the proceedings and whether those representations were supported by official documentation.
Consular office claim
Further questions have arisen from Chaudhry’s assertion that his private residence was used as the premises of a Pakistani consular office.
Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the establishment of a consular post requires the consent of the receiving state. Those principles are reflected in Malawi’s domestic legal framework governing diplomatic and consular privileges.
Investigators are understood to be seeking to establish whether any such approval was granted and what communications, if any, took place between the governments of Malawi and Pakistan.
Awaiting responses
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not responded to questions submitted by this news outlet.
Chaudhry’s lawyer, Bright Theu, has also not replied to requests for comment.
Theu has previously referred to photographs showing Chaudhry alongside former president Mutharika as evidence supporting his client’s claim to diplomatic status.
Diplomatic experts note, however, that photographs of official meetings do not in themselves establish an appointment or accreditation.
Chaudhry maintains that he served legitimately as Pakistan’s Deputy Consul in Malawi.
No evidence has been made public establishing that Chaudhry falsely claimed diplomatic status or that any public official acted improperly. Equally, no official appointment or accreditation documents have been produced publicly to substantiate the claim.
The central issue remains whether the necessary appointment, recognition and notification procedures were completed, a question that may ultimately depend on records held by authorities in Islamabad and Lilongwe.
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