India-Pak ties slide further

India protested Islamabad putting out names and details of eight Indian diplomats in the public domain

India-Pakistan diplomatic relations slid further on Wednesday when Pakistan pulled out six officials at its high commission in New Delhi, days after a mission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was expelled by India over alleged espionage. India also protested Islamabad putting out names and details of eight Indian diplomats in the public domain.

New Delhi said the sharing of details in public of these Indian officials working in Pakistan has “compromised their security”. There was no immediate word from the ministry of external affairs on whether these eight have been withdrawn or were likely to leave Pakistani soil.

In another development, ministry of external affairs also summoned deputy high commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah to convey New Delhi’s “grave concern and strong protest at the recent escalation in the incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan side at the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), which have resulted in several fatalities and casualties on the Indian side among civilians and security forces personnel”. It also registered its strong protest on the mutilation of the body of an Indian soldier by a terrorist who escaped across the LoC after committing the heinous crime.

The deputy high commissioner of Pakistan was conveyed the government’s expectation that Pakistan will not take any step inimical to peace along the LoC and IB and to the security of India. Sources in Pakistan high commission said six of its mission officials have returned home. These included commercial counsellor Syed Furrukh Habib and first secretaries Khadim Hussain, Mudassir Cheema, and Shahid Iqbal, whose names were referred to by Akhtar during his interrogation in connection with the spying scandal.

"The decision has been taken after it became impossible for the officials to work in this vitiated atmosphere. Indian government is threatening and blackmailing our diplomats. So, in this condition, it is impossible for us to stay in this country and work," sources said.

After India had declared Pakistani official Akhtar persona non grata for espionage activities, Islamabad had expelled an Indian high commission official posted there.

Persona non grata is a person who is not welcome in a particular place because of something they have said or done, especially one who is told to leave a country by the government.

Media reports from Islamabad said Pakistan may ask at least two officials of the Indian high commission to leave the country for their alleged involvement in subversive activities.

The two officials were identified and their photographs were being flashed by different TV news channels in Pakistan. Geo TV reported that commercial counsellor Rajesh Agnihotri and press counsellor Balbir Singh may be expelled. The channel claimed that the two were linked to Indian intelligence agencies.