ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Britain’s anti-terror police on Tuesday detained Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s younger brother, Wajahat, along with his three nephews and two other people after their arrival in London from Spain.

The six men were put on a flight to Pakistan after several hours of interrogation at a detention centre. They were not allowed to enter Britain.

The highly dramatic, and somewhat humiliating, development took place at London’s Gatwick airport where the anti-terrorist squad was already present when Chaudhry Wajahat’s flight arrived from Barcelona.

Chaudhry Wajahat and five others were immediately whisked away to a nearby detention centre for questioning. Highly informed sources told Dawn that the six were taken into custody under Britain’s anti-terror law, but there was no word on the nature of questioning.

More than 24 hours after the detention, and subsequent deportation, intense diplomatic efforts led to the issuance of a statement of regret by the British authorities.

In a brief three-line statement, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) expressed regret on “any inconvenience and distress” caused to Chaudhry Wajahat and other members of his group.

The FCO did not specify the reasons for the arrest and deportation, but said that all of them were free to return to the UK and that their visas were unaffected.

On his return to Pakistan, Wajahat Hussain described the entire development as extremely humiliating. He told DawnNews that “if it could happen to me, most other Pakistanis are more vulnerable”.

He would not give details about the nature of questioning by the British authorities, but denied it had anything to do with human smuggling.

Wajahat Hussain, a younger brother of PML chief Shujaat Hussain, is regarded as the most powerful man in Gujrat and is the chief campaigner of PML-Q in Punjab.

Highly informed sources said the London drama happened on Jan 22 when Chaudhry Wajahat, along with his nephew and other relatives, arrived from Barcelona, mainly to make arrangements for some private functions lined up for President Pervez Musharraf.

These sources said hours after Wajahat Hussain was taken into custody in London, the Pakistan High Commission received a fax informing it of the development. At that stage the Pakistani diplomats were neither allowed access to the detainees nor were they informed of the charges.

The information led to intense diplomatic exchanges between London and Islamabad. After some time the high commission was again told that the six men were being released and put on a plane to Pakistan.

And it was much later, and after Wajahat and others had already arrived in Pakistan, that the FCO issued a statement of regret.

No explanation was given for the detention, and considering the sensitivity of the entire issue, none may ever come from London. However, those closely following anti-terrorism efforts in Europe say there may have been an error of judgment.

According to them, Wajahat Hussain arrived in Spain only days after the Spanish authorities arrested 12 Pakistanis and two Indians on charges of having links with some “terror-related activity”.

It is not clear if during his stay in Spain Wajahat Hussain met members of the Pakistani community, many of whom are from Gujrat.

However, some believe it is quite possible that his activities in Barcelona may have been misread by the Spanish and British authorities because of the arrest of the 12 Pakistanis.

Our Correspondent in London adds: Sources said the British authorities did not allow the Pakistan High Commission to get in touch with Chaudhry Wajahat while he was being interrogated by an anti-terror squad.

The nature of charges against the group is still a mystery. The fax which was reportedly received by the Pakistan High Commission in London had said that they were deported under Schedule 7 of the anti-terror act.