Monumental gaffe by the now former head of The Norwegian Police Security Service PST Janne Kristiansen might not only be endangering Norway- Pakistan relations and harming local companies with business relationships in Pakistan but could also be making lives of ordinary individuals from Nordic countries harder in there.
Kristiansen, who had already been facing harsh criticism for the agency’s failed intelligence work before the Oslo bombing and Utøya mass murder, slipped during a parliamentary hearing that Norwegian armed forces intelligence service has agents in Pakistan. She was promptly forced to resign and may face further repercussions. Norway of course has NATO-troops in neighbouring Afghanistan, but no agreement to have any intelligence agents in Pakistan.
Today comments from Pakistan’s interior minister suggest that “spies from several Scandinavian countries” have been arrested in the country. Foreign Affairs Ministries in Nordic countries haven’t so far received any information on any detentions. The nearly 40 000 strong well-established Pakistani Norwegians community is also wondering what effect, if any, this matter will have.
Pakistan has been encouraging Norwegian companies to invest more in the country; particularly in oil & gas, communications, agriculture & fisheries and in infrastructure projects and the relations between the two countries have been quite good for a long time already. Telenor Group’s (OSE: TEL) wholly owned subsidiary Telenor Pakistan is the second largest mobile operator in Pakistan.
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