MEA summons Basit over discourtesy to envoy

Bambawale had advised Islamabad to stop interfering

India on Wednesday sharply reacted to the discourtesy extended to its high commissioner in Pakistan and lodged a protest after summoning the neighbouring country’s envoy in New Delhi.

Sujata Mehta, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit to the South Block. Sujata conveyed to Basit India’s “concern over the discourtesy” extended to its High Commissioner to Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, during his visit to Karachi earlier this week.

Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Sujata had also conveyed to Basit New Delhi’s hope that India’s accredited diplomats in the neighbouring country would be “allowed to discharge their normal functions without any hindrance”. Bambawale was scheduled to speak at an event organised by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

The trade body, however, cancelled the event half an hour before it was scheduled to start. The organisers did not cite any reason for cancelling the event. Officials in New Delhi, however, are of the view that the Pakistan government might have nudged the Karachi Chamber of Commerce to cancel the event ostensibly because Bambawale had on Monday advised Islamabad to stop interfering in the internal affairs of India.

At an event organised by the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations on Monday, Bambawale said people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.

‘Resolve your problems’
Bambawale noted that India and Pakistan had problems, and Pakistan should focus on resolving its problems before looking into the problems of others. His comment came in the backdrop of Pakistan’s bid to launch a global campaign against India, accusing New Delhi of committing atrocities and violating rights of Kashmiris.  

India’s troubled ties with Pakistan worsened after the neighbouring country started making attempts to cash in on the unrest in the Valley, following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.