The Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 Developed by Zain Sheikh

The Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act, 1972.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN

Islamabad, the 12th September, 1972

ACT NO IX OF 1972

An  Act  to give  effect in Pakistan to  the Vienna Convention   on Diplomatic    Relations,   1961,   and   the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,  1963.

WHEREAS  Pakistan  has  acceded  to  the  Vienna  Convention   on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963;

AND  WHEREAS  it is necessary to give effect in Pakistan  to  the said Vienna Conentions;

It is hereby enacted as follows:-

1. Short title, extent and commencement.- (1) This may be  called the Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act, 1972.

(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

2.  Provisions  of  Conventions  to  have  force  of  law.-

(1) Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary contained in any  other law  for  the time being in force, the provisions of  the  Vienna Convention  on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, set out in  the  First Schedule  and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,  1963, set  out  in  the Second Schedule shall,  subject  to  the  other provisions of this Act, have the force of law in Pakistan.

(2)  For the purposes of Article 32 of the Convention set out  in the  First Schedule, a waiver by the head of the mission of  any State  or any person for the time being performing his  functions shall be deemed to be a waiver by that State.

(3)  For the purposes of Article 45 of the Convention set out  in the Second Schedule and of that Article as applied by Article  58 of  that  Convention,  a  waiver shall be  deemed  to  have  been expressed  by a state if it has been expressed by the head of the diplomatic mission of that  State or by any person for the time being performing his functions  or, if  there  is no such mission, by the head of the  consular  post concerned.

(4)   Articles 35, 36 and 40 of the convention set out in the  First Schedule, and Articles 50,51,52,54, 62 and 67  of  the Convention set out in the Second Schedule, shall be construed  as granting any privilege or immunity which they require to be granted.

3.  Restriction of Privileges and immunities.- If it appears to the Federal  Government that the privileges and immunities,  accorded to the mission or a consular post of Pakistan in the territory of any  State, or to persons connected with that mission or  consular post, are less than those conferred by this Act on the mission or a  Consular post of that State or on persons connected with  that mission  or  consular  post,  the  Federal  Government  may,   by notification  in  the  official Gazette,  withdraw  such  of  the privileges  and immunities so conferred from the mission of  that State  or,  as the case may be from all or any  of  the  consular posts of that State, or, as from such persons connected  there with as it may deem fit.

4.             Certificate  of Federal Govermment.- If any  question  arises whether  or  not  any  person is entitled  to  any  privilege  or immunity  under  this Act, a certificate issued by or  under  the authority of the Federal Government stating any fact relating  to that question shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.

5.             Power  to amend schedules.– The Federal  Government  may,  by notification  in  the  official  Gazette,  amend  either  of  the Schedules  in  conformity  with any amendment duly  made  in  the provisions of the Convention set out therein.

6.             Repeal.- The Diplomatic and Consular  Privileges  Ordinance, 1972 (XV of 1972), is hereby repealed.

 

THE FIRST SCHEDULE

[See section 2 (1)]

ARTICLE 1

For  the  purposes  of  the  present  Convention,  the  following expressions shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them:

(a)        the  “head  of the Mission” is the  person  charged  by  the sending State with the duty of acting in that capacity;

(b)        the “members of the mission” are the head of the mission  and the members of the staff of the mission;

(c)        the “members of the staff of the mission” and the  members  of the  diplomatic  staff of the administrative and technical  staff and  of the  service  staff of the mission;

(d)        the “member of the diplomatic staff” are the members of  the mission having diplomatic rank;

(e)        a “diplomatic agent” is the head of the mission or a  member of the diplomatic staff of the mission;

(f)        the “members of the administrative and technical staff”  are the  members  of  the  staff  of  the  mission  employed  in  the administrative and technical service of the mission;

(g)        the  “members of the service staff” are the members  of  the staff of the mission in the domestic service of the mission;

(h)       a  “private  servant” is a person who  is  in  the  domestic service of a member of the mission and who is not an employee  of the sending State;

(i)        the “premises of the mission” are the buildings or parts  of buildinggs  and  the  land  ancillary  thereto,  irrespective  of ownership,  used  for the purposes of the mission  including  the residence of the head of the mission.

ARTICLE 22

1.             The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the  receiving State may not enter them, except with the  consent of the head of the mission.

2.             The  receiving  State is under a special  duty  to  take  all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission  against any  intrusion  or damage and to prevent any disturbance  of  the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.

3.             The   premises of the mission, their  furnishings  and  other property thereon and the means of transport of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution.

ARTICLE 23

1.             The sending State and the head of the mission shall be  exempt from  all  national, regional, or municipal dues  and  taexes  in respect of the permises of the mission, whether owned or  leased, other  than  such  as represent  payment  for  specific  services rendered.

2.             The exemption from taxation referred to in this Article  shall not   apply to such dues and taxes payable under the law  of  the receiving State by persons contracting with the sending State  or the head of the mission.

ARTICLE 24

The archives and documents of the mission shall be inviolable  at any time and wherever they may be.

ARTICLE 27

1.             The   receiving  State  shall  permit   and   protect   free communication  on  the  part  of the  mission  for  all  official purposes.  In  communicating with the government  and  the  other missions  and consulates of the sending state wherever  situated, the   mission  and  employ all  appropriate   means,   including diplomatic couriers and messages in code or cypher. However,  the mission may install and use a wireless transmitter only with  the consent of the receiving State.

2.             The  official  correspondence  of  the  mission   shall   be inviolable.  Official  correspondence  means  all  correspondence relating to the mission and its functions.

3.             The diplomatic bag shall not be opened or detained.

4.             The packages constituting the diplomatic bag must bear visible external marks of their character and may contain only diplomatic documents or articles intended for official use.

5.             The  sending State or the mission  may  designate  diplomatic couriers  ad hoc. In such cases the provisions of paragraph 5  of constituting  the  diplomatic  bag, shall  be  protected  by  the receiving  State  in the performance of his  function.  He  shall enjoy personal inviolability and shall not be liable to any  form of arrest or detention.

6.             the  sending State or the mission amy  designate  diplomatic couriers  ad hoc. In such cases the provision of paragraph  5  of this Article shall also apply, except that the immunities therein mentioned shall cease to apply when such a courier has  delivered to the consignee the diplomatic bag in his charge.

7.             A  diplomatic  bag  may be ntrusted  to  the  captain  of  a commercial  aircraft scheduled to land at an authorized  port  of entry. He shall be provided with an official document  indicating the  number of packages constituting the bag but he shall not  be considered  to be a diplomatic courier. The mission may send  one of its members to take possession of the diplomatic bag  directly and freely from the captain of the aircraft.

ARTICLE 28

The  fees and charges levied by the mission in the course of  its official duties shall be exempt from all dues and taxes.

ARTICLES 29

The  person of a diplomatic agent shall be inviolable.  He  shall not  be liable to any form of arrest or detention. The  receiving State  shall  treat  him  with due respect  and  shall  take  all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity.

ARTICLE 30

1.             The private residence of a diplomatic agent shall  enjoy  the same inviolability and protection as the permises of the mission.

2.             His  papers,  correspondence  and,  except  as  provided   in paragraph  3  of Article 31, his property  shall  likewise  engoy inviolability.

ARTICLE 31

1.             A  diplomatic agent shall enjoy immunity  from  the  criminal jurisdiction of the receiving State. He shall also enjoy immunity from  its  civil and administrative jurisdiction, except  in  the case of:

(a)    a real action relating to private immovable property situated in  the territory of the receiving State, unless he holds  it  on behalf of the sending State for the purposes of the mission;

(b)    an action relating to succession in which the diplomatic agent is  involved  as executor, administrator, heir or  legatee  as  a private person and not on behalf of the sending State;

(c)    an action relating to any professional or commercial activity exercised by the diplomatic agent in the receiving State  outside his official     functions.

2.             A  diplomatic  agent is not obliged to  give  evidence  as  a witness.

3.           No  measures  of  execution may be  taken  in  respect  of  a diplomatic agent except in the cases coming under  sub-paragraphs (a),(b) and (c) of paragraph 1 of this Article, and provided that the  measures  concerned  can be  taken  without  infringing  the inviolability of his person or of his rresidence.

4.            The immunity of a diplomatic agent from the  jurisdiction  of the receiving State does not exempt him from the jurisdiction  of the sending State.

ARTICLE 32

1.            The  immunity from jurisdiction of diplomatic agents  and  of persons  enjoying immunity under Article 37 may be waived by  the sending State.

2.             The waiver must always be express.

3.          The initiation of proceedings by a diplomatic agent or  by  a person enjoying immunity from jurisdiction under Article 37  shall preclude him from invoking immunity from jurisdiction in  respect of any counter-claim, directly connected with the principal claim.

4.             Waiver of immunity from jurisidction in respect of  civil  or administrative  proceedings shall not be held to imply waiver  of immunity in respect of the execution of the judgment, for which a separate waiver shall be necessary.

ARTICLE 33

1.             Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3 of this  Article,  a diplomatic agent shall with respect to services rendered for  the sending State be exempt from social security provisions which may be in force in the receiving State.

2.             The  exemption provided for in paragraph 1  of  this  Article shall  also apply to private servants who are in the sole  employ of a diplomatic agent, on condition:

(a)    that they are not nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving State; and

(b)    that they are covered by the social securtiy provisions which may be inforce in the sending State or a third    State.

3.             A diplomatic agent who employs persons to whom the  exemption provided for in paragraph 2 of this Article does not apply  shall observe  the obligations which the social security provisions  of the receiving State impose upon employers.

4.             The  exemption provided for in paragraphs 1 and  2  of  this Article shall not preclude voluntary participation in the  social security  system  of  the  receiving  State  provided  that  such participation is permitted by that State.

5.             The provisions of this Article shall not affect bilateral  or multilateral agreements concerning social security concluded  pre viously  and shall not prevent the conclusion of such  agreements in the future.

ARTICLE 34

A  diplomatic  agent  shall be exempt from all  dues  and  taxes, personal or real, national, regional or municipal except:

(a)    indirect taxes of a kind which are normally incorporated  in the price of goods or services;

(b)    dues and taxes on private immovable proproperty situated  in the  territory  of  the receiving State, unless he  holds  it  on behalf of the sending State for the purposes of the mission;

(c)    estate,  succession  or inheritance  duties  levied  by  the receiving  State,  subject to the provisions of  paragraph  4  of Article 39;

(d)    dues  and  taxes  on private income  having  source  in  the receiving  State  and  Capital  taxes  on  investments  made   in commercial undertakings in the receiving State;

(e)    charges levied for specific service rendered;

(f)   registration, court or record fees, mortgage dues and  stamp duty,  with  respect  to  immovable  property,      subject  to   the provisions of Articlr 23.

ARTICLE 35

The  receiving  State  shall exempt diplomatic  agents  from  all personal   services,  from  all  public  service  of   any   kind whatsoever, and from military obligations such as those connected with requisitioning, military contributions and billeting.

ARTICLES 36

1.            The receiving State shall, in accordance with such  laws  and regulations as it may adopt, permit entry of and grant  exemption from  all  Customs-duties, taxes and related charges  other  than charges for storage, cartage and similar services, on:

(a)            articles for the official use of the mission;

(b)        articles  for  the personal use of  a  diplomatic  agent  or members  of his family forming part of his  household,  including articles intended for his establishment.

2.        The  personal baggage of a diplomatic agent shall  be  exempt from inspection, unless there are serious grounds for   pressuming that it contains articles not covered by the exemptions mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article, or articles the import or  export of which is prohibited by the law or controlled by the quarantine regulations  of  the receiving State. Such  inspection  shall  be conducted  only in the presence of the diplomatic agent or of his authorized representative.

ARTICLE 37

1.            The members of the family of a diplomatic agent forming  part of  his  household  shall,  if they  are  not  nationals  of  the receiving State enjoy the privileges and immunities specified  in Articles 29 to 36.

2.             Members  of  the administative and  technical  staff  of  the mission, together with members of their families formings part of their respective households, shall, if they are not nationals  of or  permanently  resident  in  the  receiving  State,  enjoy  the privileges and immunities specified in Articles 29 to 35,  except that  the immunity from civil and administrative jurisdiction  of the  receiving State specified in paragraph 1 of the  Article  31 shall  not extend to acts performed outside the course  of  their duties. They shall also enjoy the privileges specified in Article 36  paragraph 1, in respect of articles imported at the  time  of first installation.

3.              Members  of  the service staff of the  mission  who  are  not nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving State shall enjoy  immunity  in respect of acts performed in  the  course  of their  duties,  exemption from dues and taxes on  the  emoluments they  receive  by reason of their employment  and  the  exemption contained in Article 33.

4.             Private servants of members of the mission shall, if they  are not nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving  State, be exempt from dues and taxes  on the emoluments they receive  by reason  of  their employment. In other respects, they  may  enjoy privileges  and immunities only to the extent  admitted  by  the receiving  State. however, the receiving State must exercise  its jurisdiction  over  those  persons in such a  manner  as  not  to interfere  unduly with the performance of the functions  of  the mission.

ARTICLE 38

1.             Except in so far as additional privileges and immunities may be granted  by  the  receiving State, a diplomatic agent  who  is  a national  of  or permanently resident in that State  shall  enjoy only immunity for jurisdiction, and inviolability, in respect of official acts performed in the exercise of his functions.

2.             Other members of the staff of the mission and private servants who  are  nationals of or permanently resident  in  the  receiving State, shall enjoy privileges and immunities only to the extent  admitted by the receiving State. However,  the  reveiving State must exercise its jurisdiction over those persons in such a manner  as  not to interfers unduly with the performance  of  the  functions of the mission.

ARTICLE 39

1.        Every person entitled to privileges and immunities shall enjoy them  from  the moment he enters the territory of  the  receiving State  on  proceeding to take up his post or, if already  in  its territory,  from the moment when his appointment is  notified  to the  Ministry for Foreign Affairrs or such other Ministry as  may be agreed.

2.            When  the  functions  of a  person  enjoying  privileges  and immunities  have come to an end, such privileges  and  immunities shall normally cease at the moment when he leaves the country, or on  expirty of a reasonable in which to do so, but shall  subsist until  that time, even in case of armed conflict.  However, with respect  to acts performed by such person in the exercise of  his functions  as  a member of the mission, immunity  shall  continue to subsist.

3.             In case of the death of a member of the mission, the  members of  his  family  shall  continue  to  enjoy  the  privileges  and immunities  to  which  they are entitled until the  expiry  of  a reasonable period in which to leave the country.

4.             In the event of the death of a member of the mission,  not  a national of or permanently resident in the receiving State or  of a  member  of  his  family forming part  of  his  household,  the receiving  State  sahll  permit the  withdrawal  of  the  movable property  of  the deceased, with the exception  of  any  property acquired in the country the export of which was prohibited at the time  of  his death. Estate, succession  and  inheritance  duties shall not be levied on movable property the presence of which  in the  receiving State was due solely to the presence there of  the deceased as a member of the mission or as a member of the  family of a member of the mission.

ARTICLE 40

1.             If  a diplomatic agent passes through or is in the territory  of a third State, which has granted him a passport visa if such visa was  necessay,  while proceeding to take up or to  return  to  his post, or when returning to his own country, the third State shall accord  him inviolability and such other immunities  as  may  be required to ensure his transit or return.

2.             The same shall apply in the case of any members of his  family enjoying  privileges  or  immunities who are  accompany  ing  the diplomatic  agent,  or travelling separately to join  him  or  to return to their conutry.

3.             In circumstances similar to those specified in paragraph 1  of this Article, third State shall not hinder the passage of members of  the  administrative  and technical or  services  staff  of  a mission,  and  of  members  of  their  families,  through   their territories.

4.             Third States shall accord to official correspondence and other official communications in transit, including messages in code  or cypher,  the  same freedom and protection as is accorded  by  the receiving  State.  They shall accord to diplomatic  couriers  who have been granted a passport visa if such visa was necessary  and diplomatic bags in transit the same inviolability and  protection as the  receiving State is bound to accord.

5.             The obligations of third States under paragraphs 1,2, and 3 of this   Article  shall  also  apply  to  the   persons   mentioned respectively in those paragraphs, and to official  communications and diplomatic bags, whose presence in the territory of the third States is due to force majeure.

THE SECOND SCHEDULE

[See section 2 (1)]

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

1.  For  the purposes of the present  Convention,  the  following expressions shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them:

(a)    “consular post” means any consulate-general, consulate, vice-consulate or consular agency;

(b)    ‘consular  district’ means the area assigned to  a  consular post for the exercise of consular functions;

(c)    “head  of consular post” means the person charged  with  the duty of acting in that capactiy;

(d)    “consular officer” means any person, including the head of  a consular  post, entrusted in that capacity with the       exercise  of consular functions;

(e)    “consular  employee”  means  any  person  employed  in   the administrative or technical service of a consular post;

(f)        “member of the service staff” means any person  employed  in the domestic service of a consular post;

(g)        “member  of  the consular  post”  means  consular  officers, consular employees and members of the service staff;

(h)      members of the consular staff” means consular officers, other than  the  head  of the consular  post,  consular  employees  and members of the service staff;

(i)        “member of the private staff” means a person who is employed exclusively  in the private service of a member of  the  consular post;

(j)        “consular premises” means the buildings or parts of buildings and  the land ancillary thereto, irrespective of ownership,  used exclusively  for the purposes of the consular post;

(k)       “consular  archives”  includes all  the  papers,  documents, correspondence, books, films, tapes and registers of the consular post,  togehter with the cyphers and codes, the card-indexes  and any  article of furniture intended for their protection  or  safe keeping.

2.             Consular  officers  are  of  two  categories,  namely  career consular officers and honorary consular officers. The  provisions of  Chapter II of the present Convention apply to consular  posts headed by career consular officers, the provisions of Chapter III govern  consular posts headed by honorary consular officers.

3.             The particular status of members of the consular  posts  who are  nationals or permanent residents of the receiving States  is governed by Article 71 of the present Convention.

ARTICLE 5

CONSULAR FUNCTIONS

Consular functions consist in:-

(a)    protecting  in  the receiving State  the  interests  of  the sending  State and of its nationals, both individuals and  bodies corporate, within the limits permitted by international law;

(b)    furthering the development of commercial, economic,  cultural and  scientific  relations  between the  sending  State  and  the receiving  State  and  otherwise  promoting  friendly   relations between  them  in accordance with the provisions of  the  present Convention;

(c)    as certaining  by  all  lawful  means conditions and  developments in the commercial, economic, cultural and scientific life of  the receiving  State,  reporting  State,  reporting  thereon  to   the Government of the sending Stae and giving information to  persons interested;

(d)    issuing passports and travel documents to nationals  of  the sending  State,  and visas or appropriate  documents  to  persons wishing to travel to the sending State;

(e)    helping and assisting nationals, both individuals and  bodies corporate, of the sending State;

(f)    acting as notary and civil registrar and in capacities of  a similar   kind,   and   performing  certain   functions   of   an administrative      nature, provided that there is  nothing  contrary thereto in the laws and regulations of the receiving State;

(g)    safeguarding the interests of nationals, both individuals and bodies  corporate, of the sendings State in cases  of  succession mortis causa  in  the  territory  of  the  receiving  State,  in accordance with the laws and regulations of the receiving state;

(h)  safeguarding,  within the limits imposed by  the  laws,  and regulations  of the receiving State, the interests of minors  and other  persons  lacking full capacity who are  nationals  of  the sending State, particularly where any guardianship or trusteeship is required with respect ot such persons;

(i)    subject  to the practices and procedures  obtaining  in  the receiving   State,   representing   or   arranging    appropriate representation for  nationals  of the sending  State  before  the tribunals  and other authorities of the reveiving State, for  the purpose of obtaining, in accordance with the laws and  regulations of the receiving State, provisional measures for the preservation of the rights and interests of these nationals, where because  of absence  or  any other reason, such nationals are unable  at  the proper time to assume the defence   of their rights and interests;

(j)   transmitting  judicial  and  extra-judicial  documents   or executing  letters rogatory or commissions to take  evidence  for the courts of the sending State in accordance with  international agreements  in  force or, in the absence  of  such  international agreements  in  any  other manner compatible with  the  laws  and regulations of the receiving State;

(k)   exercising rights of supervision and inspection provided  for in the laws and regulations of the sending States, in respect  of vessels    having  the  nationality of the sending  State,  and  of aircraft  registrered  in  that State, and in  respect  of  their crews;

(l)    extending  assistance to vessels and airceaft  mentioned  in subparagraph  (k)  of this Article, and to  their  crews,  taking statements  regarding  the  voyage of  a  vessel,  examining  and stamping the ships papers, and, without prejudice to the  powers of   the   authorities   of the   reveiving   State,   conducting investigations  into  any  incident which  occurred  during  the voyage, and settling disputes of any kind between the master, the officers  and the sea-men in so far as this may be authorised  by the laws and regulations of the sending State;

(m)      performing any other functions entrusted to a consular  post by  the  sending State which are not prohibited by the  laws  and regulations  of the receiving State or to which no  objection  is taken  by  the receiving State or which are referred  to  in  the international agreements in force between the sending State  and the reveiving State.

ARTICLE 15

TEMPORARY  EXERCISE  OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HEAD OF  A  CONSULAR POST

1.             If  the head of a consular post is unable to  carry  out  his functions or the position of head of consular post is vacant, and acting head of post may act provisionally as head of the consular post.

2.             The  full name of the acting head of post shall  be  notified either by the diplomatic mission of the sending State or, if that State has no such mission in the receiving State, by the head  of the  consular post, or if he is unable to do so, by  a  competent authority  of  the  sending State, to the  Ministry  for  Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or to the authority designated  by that  Ministry.  As a general rule, this  notification  shall  be given  in advance. The receiving State may make the admission  as acting head of post of a person who is neither a diplomatic agent not  a  consular officer of the sending State  in  the  receiving State conditional on its consent.

3.             The competent authorities of the receiving State shall  afford assistance and protection to the acting head of post. While he  is in  charge of the post, the provisions of the present  Convention shall  apply  to  him  on the same basis as to  the  head  of  the consular post concerned. The receiving State shall not,  however, be  obliged  togrant  to an acting head  of  post  any  facility, privilege or immunity which the head of the consular post  enjoys only  subject to conditions not fulfilled by the acting  head  of post.

4.             When, in the circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 of  the Article,  a  member  of the diplomatic  staff  of  the  diplomatic mission of the sending State in the receiving State is designated by the sendings State as an acting head of post, he shall, if the receiving   State  does not object thereto,  continue  to  enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities.

ARTICLE 17

PERFORMANCE OF DIPLOMATIC ACTS BY CONSULAR OFFICERS

1.             In a State where the sending State has no diplomatic  mission and is not represented by a diplomatic mission of a third  State, a consular officer may, with the consent of the receiving  State, and  without  affecting  his consular status,  be  authorised  to perform  diplomatic  acts, the performannce of such  acts  by  a consular  officer  shall not confer upon him any right  to  claim diplomatic privilges and immunities.

2.             A consular officer may, after notification addressed  to  the receiving  State, act as representative of the sending  State  to any inter-Governmental organisation, When so acting, he shall  be entitled to enjoy any privileges and immunities accorded to  such a   representative   by customary  international   law   or   by international agreements, however, in respect of the performancee by  him of any consular fuction, he shall not be entitled to  any greater immunity from jurisdiction than that to which a  consular officer is entitled under the present Convention.

CHAPTER  II.- Facilities, privileges and Immunities  Relating  to Consular  Posts,  Career Consular Officer and other  Officer  and other Members of a Consular Post.

SECTION  1.  –  FACILITIES, PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES RELATING  TO  A CONSULAR POST.

ARTICLE 31

INVIOLABILITY OF THE CONSULAR PREMISES

1.             Consular premises shall be inviolable to the extent  provided in this Article.

2.             The authorities of the receiving State shall not  enter  that part  of the consular premises which is used exclusively for  the purpose of the work of the consular post except with the  consent of  the  head of the consular post or of his designee of  of  the head of the diplomatic mission of the sending State. The  consent of the head of the consular post may, however, be assumed in case of fire or other disaster requiring prompt protective action.

3.              The consular premises, their furnishings, the property of  the consular post and its means of transport shall be immune from any form  of requisition for purposes, of national defence or  public utility.  If  expropriation is necessary for such  purposes,  all possible steps shall be taken to avoid impending the  performance of   consular  functions  and  prompt  adequate   and   effective compensation shall be paid to the sending State.

ARTICLE 32

EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION OF CONSULAR PREMISES

1.             Consular  premises and the residence of the  career  head  of consular post of which the sending State or any person acting  on its  behalf  is  the owner of lessee shall  be  exempt  from  all national,  regional,   or municipal dues  and  taxes  whatsoever, other  than  such  as represent  payment  for  specific  services rendered.

2.             The exemption from taxation referred to in paragraph i of this Article shall not apply to such dues and taxes if, under the  law of  the  receiving  State, they are payable  by  the  person  who contracted  with the sending State or with the person  acting  on its behalf.

ARTICLE 33

INVIOLABILITY OF THE CONSULAR ARCHIVES AND DOCUMENTS

The  consular archives and documents shall be inviolable  at  all times and wherever they may be.

ARTICLS 35

FREEDOM OF COMMUNICATION

1.             The  receiving  State shall permit  and  protect  freedom  of communication on the part of the consular post for all  official purposes.  In  communication with the Government,  the  diplomaic missions  and  other consular posts, wherever  situated,  of  the sending  State,  the consular post may  employ  all  appropriate means, including diplomatic or consular, couriers, diplomatic  or consular  bag  and  messages in code  or  cypher.  However.,  the consular  post  may install and use a wireless  transmitter  only with the consent of the receiving State.

2.             The  official correspondence of the consular  post  shall  be inviolable.  Official  correspondence means  all  correspondentde relating to the consular post and its functions.

3.             The  consular  bag  shall be  neither  opened  nor  detained. Nevertheless, if the competent authorites of the receiving  State have  serious reason to believe that the bag contains   something other  than the correspondence, documents or articles  referred to in paragraph 4 of this Artilce, they may request that the bag  be opened  in their presence by an authorised representative of  the sending State.  If  this  request is refused by the authorities  of  the  sending State, the bag shall be returned to its place of origin.

4.             The packages constituting the consular bag shall bear  visible external marks of their character and may contain only  official correspondence and documents of articles intended exclusively for official use.

5.             The  consular  courier  shall be  provided  with  an  offical document  indicating  his  status  and  the  number  of  packages constituting  the  consular bag. Except with the consent  of  the receiving  State he shall be neither a national of the  receiving State,  nor  unless  he is a national of  the  sending  State,  a permanent resident of the receiving State. In the performance  of his  functions he shall be protected by the receiving  State.  He shall enjoy personal inviolability and shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention.

6.             The  sending  State, its diplomatic missions and  its  consular posts  may designate consular couriers ad hoc. In such cases  the provisions of paragraph 5 of this Article shall also apply except that  the immunities therein mentioned shall cease to apply  when such a courier has delivered to the consignee the consular bag in his charge.

7.             A consular bag may be entrusted to the captain of a ship or of a commercial aircraft scheduled to land at an authorised post  of entry.  He shall be provided with an official document  indicating the  number of packages constituting the bag,but he shall  not  be considered  to  be a consular courier. By  arrangement  with  the appropriate local authorities, the consular post may send one  of its  members  to take possession of the bag directly  and  freely from the captain of the ship or of the aircraft.

ARTICLE 39

CONSULAR FEES AND CHARGES

1.             The consular post may levy in the terriory of  the  receiving State  the fees and charges provided by the laws and  regulations of the sending State for consular acts.

2.             The  sums  collected  in the form of  the  fees  and  charges referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, and the receipts  for such fees and charges, shall be exempt from all dues and taxes in the  receiving  State.

SECTION  II.-       FACILITIES,  PRIVILEGES  AND IMMUNITIES RELATING TO CAREER CONSULAR OFFICERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF A CONSULAR POST.

ARTICLE 41

PERSONAL INVIOLABILITY OF CONSULAR OFFICER

1.             Consular officers shall not be liable to arrest or  detention pending  trial, except in the case of a grave crime and  pursuant to a decision by the competent judicial authority.

2.             Except in the case specified in paragraph 1 of this  Article, consular  officers shall not be committed to prison or liable  to any  other for of restriction on their personal freedom  save  in execution of a judicial decision of final effect.

ARTICLE 43

IMMUNITY FROM JURISDICTION

1.           Consular officers and consular employees shall not be amenable to the jurisdiction of the judicial or administrative authorities of  the  receiving  State  in respect of  acts  perfomed  in  the exercise of consular functions.

2.             The  provision  of paragraph 1 of  this  Article  shall  not, however, apply in respect of a Civil action either:-

(a)    arising out of a contract concluded by a consular officer  or a consular employee in which he did not contract expressly or impliedly as an agent of the sending State; or

(b)    by a third party for damage arising from an accident in  the receiving State caused by a vehicle, vessel or aircraft.

ARTICLE 44

LIABILITY TO GIVE EVIDENCE

1.             Members  of a consular post may be called upon to  attend  as witnesses   in   the  course  of   judicial   or   administrative proceedings. A consular employee or a member of the service staff shall  not, except in the cases mentioned in paragraph 3 of  this Article,  decline to give evidence. If a consular officer  should decline  to do so, no coercive measure or penalty may be  applied to him.

2.             The  authority requiring the evidence of a  consular  officer shall avoid interference with the performance of his functions  . It may, when possible, take such evidence at his residence or  at the consular post or accept a statement from him in writing.

3.             Member  of a consular post are under no  obligation  to  give evidence concerning matters connected with the exercise of  their functions  or  to produce official correspondence  and  documents relating  thereto.  They  are also entitled to  decline  to  give evidence as expert witnesses with regard to the law of the sending state.

ARTICLE 45

WAIVER OF PRIVILEEGES AND IMMUNITIES

1.          The sending State may waive, with regard to a member  of  the consular  post any of the privileges and immunities provided  for in Articles 41,43 and 44.

2.             The waiver shall in all cases be express, except as  provided in paragraph 3 of this Article, and shall be communicated to  the receiving state in writing.

3.            The  initiation of proceedings by a consular  employee  in  a matter  where  he might enjoy immunity  from  jurisdiction  under Article  43  shall  preclude  him  from  invoking  immunity  from jurisdiction  in respect of any couter-claim  directly  connected with the principal claim.

4.             The waiver of immunity from jurisdiction for the purposes  of civil or administrative proceeedings shall not be deemed to imply the  waiver of immunity from the measures of execution  resulting from  the  judicial  decision; in respect  of  such  measures,  a separate waiver shall be necessary.

ARTICLE 48

SOCIAL SECURITY EXEMPTION

1.         Subject  to the provisions of paragraph 3  of  this  Article, members of the consular post with respect to services rendered by then for the sending State and members of their families  forming part  of their households, shall be exempt from  social  security provisions which may be in force  in the receiving State.

2.         The  exemption provided for in paragraph I  of  this  Article shall  apply also to members of the private staff who are in  the sole employ of members of the consular post, on condition:-

(a)    that they are not nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving State;and

(b)    that  they  are covered by the  social  security  provisions which are in force in the sending State or a third State.

3.             Members of the consular post who employ persons to  whom  the exemption  provided for in paragraph 2 of this Article does  not apply  shall observe the obligations which the  social  security provisions of the receiving State impose upon employers.

4.             The  exemption  provided for in paragraphs 1 and  2  of  this Article shall not preclude voluntary participation in the  social security  system  of  the receiving  State,  provided  that  such participation is permitted by that State.

ARTICLE 49

EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION

1.       Consular officers and consular employees and members of  their families  forming part of their households shall be  exempt  from all  dues  and  taxes, personal or real,  national,  regional  or municipal, except.

(a)  indirect taxes of a kind which are normally incorporated  in the price of goods or services;

(b)  dues or taxes on private immovable property situated in  the territory  of the receiving State, subject to the  provisions  of Articles 32;

(c)  estate,  succession  or inheritance duties,  and  duties  on transfers,  levied  by  the  receiving  State,  subject  to   the provisions of paragraph (b) of Article 51;

(d)    dues and taxes on private income, including  capital  gains, having its source in the receiving State;

(e)    charges levied for specific services rendered;

(f)  registration, court or record fees, mortgage dues and  stamp duties, subject to the provisions of Article 32.

2.             Members  of the service staff shall be exempt from  dues  and taxes on the wages which they receive for their services.

3.     Members of the consular post who employ persons whose wages or salaries  are not exempt from income tax in the  receiving  State shall  observe the obligations which the laws and regulations  of that   State  impose  upon employers concerning  the  levying  of income tax.

ARTICLE  50

EXEMPTION FROM CUSTOMS DUTIES AND INSPECTION

1.           The receiving state shall, in accordance with such  laws  and regulations as it may adopt, permit entry of and grant  exemption from  all Customs-duties, taxes, and related charges  other  than charges for storage, cartage and similar services, on:-

(a)    articles for the official use of consular post;

(b)    articles  for  the personal use of  a  consular  officer  or members  of his family forming part of his  household,  including articles  intended for his establishment. The  articles  intended for  consumption  shall not exceed the quantities  necessary  for direct utillization by the   persons concerned.

2.             Consular employees shall enjoy the privileges and  exemptions specified  in paragraph 1 of this Article in respect of  articles imported at the time of first installation.

3.          Personal baggage accompanying consular officeres and  members of  their  families  forming part of their  households  shall  be exempt  from  inspection. It may be inspected only  if  there  is serious  reason to believe that it contains articles  other  than those  referred  to in sub-paragrph (b) of paragraph  1  of  this Article, or articles the import or export of which is  prohibited by  the laws and regulations of the receiving State or which  are subject  to its quarantine laws and regulations.  such  inspection shall  be carriedout in the presence of the consular  officer or member of his family concerned.

ARTICLE  51

ESTATE  OF  A MEMBER OF THE CONSULAR POST OR OF A MEMBER  OF  HIS FAMILY

In the event of the death of a member of the consular post or  of a  member  of  his  family forming part  of  his  household,  the receiving State:-

(a)    shall  permit  the export of the  movable  property  of  the deceased, with the exception of any such property acquired in  the receiving State the export of which was prohibited at the time of his death;

(b)    shall  not  levy national,  regional  or  municipal  estate, succession  or  inheritance duties, and duites on  transfers,  on movable  property  the presence of which in the  receiving  State was due solely to the presence in that State of the deceased as a member  of  the consular post or as a member of the family  of  a member of the consular post.

ARTICLE  52

EXEMPTION FROM PERSONAL SERVICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

The receiving Stat Shall exempt members of the consular post  and members  of their families forming part of their households  from all  personal  services,  from all public  service  of  any  kind whatsoever, and from military obligations such as those connected with requisitioning, military contributions and billeting.

ARTICLE  53

BEGINNING AND END OF CONSULAR PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES

1.             Every member of the consular post shall enjoy the  privileges and immunities provided in the present Convention from the moment he enters the territory of the receiving State on proceeding  to take  up his post or if already in its territory from the  moment when he enters on his duties with the consular post.

2.          Members of the family of a member of the consular post  forming part  of  his household and members of his  private  staff  shall receive  the  privileges and immunities provided in  the  present Convention  from  the date from which he  enjoys  privileges  and immunities in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article or from the date of their entry into the territory of the receiving State or  from  the date of their becoming a member of such  family  or private staff, whichever is the latest.

3.        When the functions of a member of the consular post have  come to an end, his privileges and immunities and those of a member of his  family  forming  part of his household or a  member  of  his private staff shall normally cease at the moment when the  person concerned leaves  the  receiving State or on  the  expiry  of  a reasonable period in which to do so whichever is the sooner,  but shall subsist until that time, even in case of armed  conflict.In the  case  of  the persons referred to in  paragraph  2  of  this Article,  their  privileges and immunities shall come to  an  end when  they  cease  to belong to the household or  to  be  in  the service of a member of the consular post provided, however,  that if  such  persons  intend leaving the  receiving  State  within  a reasonale  period  thereafter, their  privileges  and  immunities shall subsist until the time of their departure.

4.       However, with respect to acts performed by a consular  officer or a consular employee in the exercise of his functions, immunity from jurisdiction shall continue to subsist without limitation of time.

5.             In the event of the death of a member of the  consular  post, the  members  of his family forming part of his  household  shall continue to enjoy the privileges and immunities accorded to  them until  they  leave the receiving State or until the expiry  of  a reasonable  period enabling  them to do  so,  whichever  is  the sooner.

ARTICLE  54

OBLIGATIONS OF THIRD STATES

1.             If a consular officer passes through or is in the  territorry of  a  third  State, which has granted him a visa,  if  visa  was necessary,while  proceeding  to take up or return to his  post  or when returning to the sending State, the third state shall accord to  him all immunities provided for by the other Articles of  the present  Convention as may be required to ensure his  transit  or return.  The  same shall apply in the case of any member  of  his family forming part of his household enjoying such privileges and immunities   who  are  accompanying  the  consular  officer   of travelling  separately  to join him or to return to  the  sending State.

2.             In circumstances similar to those specified in paragraph 1  of this  Article, third State shall not hinder the  transit  through their  territory  of  other members of the consular  post  or  of members of their families forming part of their households.

3.             Third  State shall accord to official correspondence  and  to other  official communications in transit, including messages  in code or cypher, the same freedom and protection as the  receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention. They shall accord  to consular couriers who have been granted a visa,  if  a visa  was  necessary, and to consular bags in transit,  the  same inviolability  and protection as the receiving State is bound  to accord under the present Convention.

4.             The obligations of third States under paragraphs 1,2 and 3  of the  this  Article  shall also apply  to  the  persons  mentioned respectively in those paragraphs, and to official  communications and  to  consular bags, whose presence in the  territory  of  the third State is due to force majeure.

ARTICLE  55

RESPECT FOR THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE RECEIVING STATE

1.             The  consular  premises  shall not  be  used  in  any  manner incompatible with the exercise of consular functions.

2.             The  provisions  of paragraph 2 of  this  Article  shall  not exclude  the  possibility  of offices of  other  institutions  or agencies  being  installed in part of the building in  whcih  the consular  premises  are  situated,  provided  that  the  premises assigned  to  them are separate from those used by  the  consular post. In that event, the said offices shall not, for the purposes of  the  present Convention, be considered to form  part  of  the consular premises.

ARTICLE 57

SPECIAL PROVISONS CONCERNING PRIVATE GAINFUL OCCUPATION

1.             Privileges and immunities provided in this Chapter shall  not be accorded:

(a)    to consular employees or to members of the services staff who carry on any private gainful occupation in the receiving State:

(b)    to  members of the family of a person referred  to  in  sub-paragraph  (a)  of this paragraph or to members  of  his  private staff:

(c)    to members of the family of a memeber of a consular post  sho themselves  carry  on  any  private  gainful  occupation  in  the receiving State.

CHAPTER-III.-    Regime relating to Honorary Consular Officers  and Consular Posts headed by such officers.

ARTICLE  58

GENERAL   PROVISIONS  RELATING  TO  FACILITIES,  PRIVILEGES   AND IMMUNITIES

1.             Articles 35 and, patagraph 3 of Article 54 and paragraphs 2 and 3  of  Article  55 shall apply to consular  posts  headed  by  an honorary   consular  officer.  In  additions,   the   facilities, privileges  and  immunities  of  such  consular  posts  shall  be governed by Articles60. 61 and 62.

2.             Article  43, paragraph 3 of Article 44, Articles  45  and  53 shall  apply  to  honorary consular officers.  In  addition,  the facilities,  privileges and immunities of such consular  officers shall be governed by Articles 66 and 67.

3.             Privileges amd immunities provided in the present  Convention shall  not  be accorded to members of the family of  an  honorary consular officer or of a consular employee employed at a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer.

ARTICLE  60

EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION OF CONSULAR PREMISES

1.             Consular  premises of a consular post headed by  an  honorary consular  officer  of  which the sending State is  the  owner  or lessee shall be exmpt from all national, regional  or  municipal  dues  and taxes whatsoever, other than such as represent  payment for specifie services rendered.

2.             The exemption from taxation referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to such dues and taxes if, under the laws and regulations of the receiving State, they are payable by  the person who contracted with the sending State.

ARTICLE 61

INVIOLABILITY OF CONSULAR ARCHIVES AND DOCUMENTS

The consular arcieves and documents of a consular post headed  by an honorary consular officer shall be inviolable at all times and wherever  they may be, provided that they are kept separate  from other  papers and documents and, in particular, from the  private correspondence of the head of a consular post and of any  person working with him, and  from the materials, books or  documents relating to their profession or trade.

ARTICLE  62

EXEMPTION FROM CUSTOMS DUTIES

The  receiving  State  shall, in accordance with  such  laws  and regulations as it may adopt, permit entry of and grant  exemption from  all Customs-duties, taxes, and related charges  other  than charges  for  storage,  cartage  and  similar  services  on   the following  articles, provided that they are for the  official use of a consular post headed by an honorary consular officers  coat-of-arms,  flages, signboards, seals and stamps,  books,  official printed  matter, office furniture, office equipment  and  similar articles  supplied by or at the instance of the sending State  to the consular post.

ARTICLE 66

EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION

An  honorary consular officer shall be exempt from all  dues  and taxes  on the remuneration and emoluments which he receives  from the  sending  State  in  respect  of  the  exercise  fo  consular functions.

ARTICLE  67

EXEMPTION FROM PERSONAL SERVICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

The receiving State shall exempt honorary consular officers  from all  personal services and from all public services of  any  kind whatsoever and from military obligations such as those  connected with requistioning military contributions and billeting.

CHAPTER IV.-   General Provisons

ARTICLE 70

EXERCISE OF CONSULAR FUNCTIONS BY DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS

1.             The provisions of the present Convention apply also, so far as the  context permits, to the exercise of consular functions by  a diplomatic mission.

2.         The names of members of a diplomatic mission assigned to  the consular  section or otherwise charged with the exercise  of  the consular  functions  of  the mission shall  be  notified  to  the Ministry  of  Foreign Affaris of the receiving State  or  to  the authority designated by that Ministry.

3.          The privileges and immunities of the members of a  diplomatic mission referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall continue to be governed  by the rules of  international  law  concerning diplomatic relations.

ARTICLE 71

NATIONALS OR PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE REVEIVING STATE

1.             Except  in so far as additional  facilities,  privileges  and immunities  may  be  granted by  the  receiving  State,  consular officers  who  are nationals of or permanently  resident  in  the receiving  State shall enjoy only immunity from jurisdiction  and personal  inviolability in respect of official acts performed  in the  exercise of their functions, and the privilege  provided  in paragraph 3 of Article 44.

2.             other  members of the consulr post who are  nationals  of  or permanently resident in the receiving state and members of  their families, as well as members of the families of consular officers referred  to  in  paragraph  1  of  this  Article,  shall   enjoy facilities, privileges and immunities only in so far as these are granted  to  them by the receiving State. Those  members  of  the families  members of the consular post and those members  of  the private  staff  who are themselves nationals  of  or  permanently resident in the receiving State shall likewise enjoy facilities, privileges and immunities only in so far as these are granted  to them by the receiving State.