ZCZC
BSS-40
INDIA-PAKISTAN-POLITICS
India seeks 50% reduction of Pakistan high commission strength
By Aminul Islam Mirja
NEW DELHI, June 23, 2020 (BSS) – In an apparent move to downgrade
diplomatic ties with Pakistan, India today sought 50 percent reduction
of the strength of staff members in Pakistan High Commission here.
New Delhi would reciprocally reduce its own presence in its mission
in Islamabad to the same proportion, the decision was conveyed to the
Charge d’ Affairs of Pakistan high commission Syed Haider Shah as he
was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India today.
The decision to reduce the staff members is to be implemented in
seven days, the ministry told Mr. Shah, according to a statement
issued by the ministry here this evening.
The decision came weeks after police expelled two staff members at
the Pakistan high commission in Delhi on charges of spying. In the
tit-for-tat action, Pakistani security agencies picked two Indian high
commission staffers in Islamabad recently and detained them in a road
accident case.
The MEA told the Pakistan mission’s Charge d’ Affairs that India had
repeatedly expressed concern about the activities of officials of his
high commission in New Delhi.
“They have been engaged in acts of espionage and maintained dealings
with terrorist organizations…their officials indulged in actions
that are not in conformity with their privileged status in the High
Commission,” Shah was told.
Besides, Pakistan has in parallel engaged in a sustained campaign to
intimidate the officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad
from carrying on their legitimate diplomatic functions, the MEA
statement said.
In this connection, it said that the recent abduction at gunpoint of
two Indian officials and their severe ill treatment underlines the
extent to which Pakistan has gone in that direction.
Therefore, it said that the Indian government has taken the decision
to reduce the staff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New
Delhi by 50%.
“It would reciprocally reduce its own presence in Islamabad to the
same proportion and the decision would be implemented in seven days,”
the statement added.
BSS/AIM/MRU/1951hrs