Australia on Tuesday ruled out restoration of visa to Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef until completion of the ongoing investigation in connection with the failed UK terror plot as the issue came up for discussion between the foreign ministers of the two countries in Manila.
During a meeting with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Manila, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer "explained the situation" and said police were still investigating.
"Until the investigation is over we won't be giving his visa back," an Australian embassy spokesman quoted Downer as telling Mukherjee as they met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum.
Mukherjee separately told Indian journalists that "we have to wait till the investigation is over."
He said Downer informed him that investigations were still on. "Once it is over, then his (Haneef's) case relating to visa would be finally disposed of. As per their (Australian) visa law, it is the discretionary power of the minister in-charge if they find that somebody had some association with non-desirable activities, which is called the character then they may withhold the visa," Mukherjee said.
27-year-old Haneef, who returned home on Sunday after nearly a month-long detention in Australia, said on Monday that he wanted his visa restored so that he could go back to work as a registrar in a Gold Coast hospital. The doctor was held in connection with the botched terror attack in the UK.