“I only need protection. I only need protection. In Pakistan, I cannot stay.”

- Syed Fawad Ali Shah

COMMENT | P Waytha Moorthy’s description of Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s reply to the deportation of Pakistani journalist Syed Fawad Ali Shah as reeking of irresponsibility is far too gentle for this writer.

In fact, this is a cowardly, disingenuous and arrogant reply of someone who is in the business of defending the indefensible and secure enough not to do a good job of it.

In an interview with Voice of America since his arrest, incarceration and torture, Syed Fawad (above) not only describes his harrowing journey back to Pakistan but also that he was told by Malaysian immigration operatives that “...the Pakistani intelligence agencies demand us to give you back to Pakistan”.

Malaysia had told the world that the reason why they deported Syed Fawad was that he was supposedly a police officer who was wanted for disciplinary action.

At the very least, the Malaysian government should get its lies - I’m sorry “cover story” - correct.