New Delhi, July 18: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today voiced concern over Mohammed Haneef’s continued detention and said Australia should extend to the Bangalore doctor all rights and facilities he is entitled to under the country’s law.

This is the second time in less than two weeks that Singh has expressed his anxiety over the plight of Haneef, accused of “reckless” support to a terrorist organisation.

“They (Australia) ought to extend all the facilities within the law and the rights he is entitled to,” Singh said on the sidelines of a book release.

Earlier, at a July 5 interaction with women journalists, the Prime Minister had spoken of the “sleepless nights” he had spent thinking of what the families of those allegedly involved in the failed UK bomb plots were going through.

The external affairs ministry picked up the cue, but its response was more structured because of the complexities and subtleties involved in dealing with a “terrorist” act.

The political establishment was indifferent, the most telling sign being today’s meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee on external affairs.

The MPs, from different parties, discussed the official agenda — Africa and the South Asian forum Saarc — but not one mentioned Haneef even in passing.

One member blamed the presidential slugfest. “We are too tense about the polling (which takes place tomorrow) and the conflicting signals that emerged from the campaign to think of bigger issues. Maybe, next week we can turn our attention to Haneef,” said a member of the “pro-minorities” Samajwadi Party.

Another MP, from the BJP, said his lips were sealed till his party decided on a response.

Singh’s comment came a day after Delhi summoned Australian high commissioner John McCarthy. He was asked why Haneef’s visa was cancelled and why he was detained after being granted bail.