Haneef must be treated fairly: Pranab

New DELHI: Following up on India's concern for Mohammed Haneef, the Indian doctor now held in a detention centre near Brisbane, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer by telephone on Thursday.

The two ministers discussed the developments on the Haneef case and for the fourth time in as many days, New Delhi conveyed the need to ensure that the Bangalore doctor is treated ``fairly and justly according to Australian law.''

Mukherjee spoke to Downer a day after the Prime Minister himself had asked Canberra to protect Haneef's rights.

The minister once again stressed that both the government and the people of India are keen to ensure that Haneef is not discriminated by the Australian authorities.

Foreign minister Mukherjee and Downer also spoke of the need for the two countries to sign a mutual legal assistance treaty. Such a treaty will enhance co-operation in dealing with future cases of this kind, they agreed.

Significantly, when an Australian investigator initially arrived in India to find out details about Dr Haneef, Indian authorities were hesitant to help, pointing out that he had not come through the proper channel.

Though New Delhi provided Australia with all help in the investigations, including details of his bank accounts and other financial transactions, officials there were irritated.

Australia's high commissioner in India John MaCarthy, spoke to two English television channels on Thursday and made the point that the Haneef affair has not had any adverse effect on relations between the two countries.