Diplomats harassment issue: Want to sort it out as soon as possible, says Pak envoy

Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood today said that he has discussed the issue of alleged harassment of diplomats with his government, which wants to sort out it "as soon as possible".

Mahmood, who came back to India last night, days after he was called back for consultations amid raging row between India and Pakistan over harassment of diplomats, said such issues affect the relation between the two countries.

"I discussed this issue (alleged harassment of Pakistani diplomats in India) with our government. We want to sort out this issue as soon as possible because it affects the relations between the countries," the Pakistani envoy said on the sidelines of an event organised to mark 'Pakistan National Day'.

Mahmood was called back to Islamabad for consultations after alleged incidents of harassment of its diplomatic staff in New Delhi, with Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Faisal claiming that the Indian government failed to take notice of the increasing incidents of intimidation of Pakistani diplomats, their families and staff by its intelligence agencies.

India and Pakistan have accused each other of harassing diplomats in Islamabad and New Delhi respectively.