An Indo-Australian business group has expressed concerns that the treatment given to the Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef, who is facing the charge of recklessly supporting a terrorist organisation, could affect the booming trade between the two countries.

The Australia India Business Council (AIBC), which promotes trade ties between both the countries, asked the policy makers, the employers and the service providers “not to introduce, promote or tolerate” discriminatory practices towards people of Indian-origin in Australia.

“In Australia the rule of law and the presumption of innocence are paramount,” the AIBC said in a statement on Wednesday.

“As a national Australian organisation, the AIBC urges all Australians to respect these principles and to avoid ethnic, religious, professional or any other form of labelling that would apply suspicion of possible wrongdoing by one or a few individuals to stigmatise an entire ethnic, racial, national or professional group or community,” it said.

To affect economy
An ABIC spokesman, Neville Roach, said any changes to visa processing of Indian migrants students, business visitors or tourists, as a result of the treatment of Haneef, would have an economic impact.

“That would naturally have consequences in slowing down business interactions and transactions, so we hope any response will be measured and sensible,” he said. It is also possible that Indian perceptions of Australia could deteriorate if people in India believed Haneef had been unfairly treated, he added.

“We hope that all that has been happening will not have any adverse effect on business relationships or the actual conduct of business between Australia and India but, by putting out our statement, it suggests we have some anxieties in that regard” he said.