India asks Pakistan to withdraw half of high commission staff from New Delhi as it moves to lower diplomatic relations

India on Tuesday moved to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Pakistan, asking the government of the neighbouring country to withdraw half of the personnel working at its High Commission in New Delhi within the next seven days.

New Delhi cited involvement of the officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in espionage against India as well as their “dealings” with terrorists as reasons for its decision. It also decided to withdraw 50% of its personnel currently posted at the High Commission of India in Islamabad, protesting against the attempt by the security and intelligence agencies of the neighbouring country to intimidate its diplomats and consular officials.

Islamabad in August 2019 made New Delhi withdraw India’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, in the wake of the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and reorganize the state into two Union Territories. Pakistan also did not send its newly-appointed High Commissioner to India, Moin-ul-Haq, to New Delhi. The High Commissions of India and Pakistan in each other’s capitals were headed by acting envoys over the past few months.

India had in December 2001 last asked Pakistan to withdraw half of the personnel posted at its High Commission in New Delhi. It had also cut down the staff of its High Commission in the capital of Pakistan by 50%. The move had come in the aftermath of the December 13, 2001 attack on Parliament of India in New Delhi by the terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, both based in Pakistan.

Syed Haider Shah, the Charge d’Affaires (acting envoy) of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi, was summoned to the South Block on Tuesday. The senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) once again conveyed to him New Delhi’s concern over the activities of the officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in India. They cited the recent example of the two officials of the Pakistan High Commission being caught red-handed in New Delhi while being engaged in espionage against India, the MEA stated in a press-release.

Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, both undercover agents of the Inter Services Intelligence, had been living in New Delhi under the guise of consular officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in the capital of India. India had on May 31 declared both Hussain and Tahir as “Persona Non Grata” and asked Pakistan to withdraw them from India within 24 hours. They had crossed over from India to Pakistan the next day.

Pakistan retaliated on June 15 by arresting two officials of the High Commission of India in its capital – allegedly for hurting a pedestrian in a road mishap and for possessing fake currencies. The two officials were released after being detained in a police station for over 10 hours. India accused Pakistan of making baseless allegations against its officials and violating the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. They returned to New Delhi on Monday and narrated with graphic details the “barbaric treatment” they had to experience while being held by the agencies of Pakistan, the MEA officials conveyed to the acting High Commissioner of the neighbouring country.

“The behaviour of Pakistan and its officials is not in conformity with the Vienna Convention and bilateral agreements on the treatment of diplomatic and consular officials,” the MEA stated on Tuesday. “On the contrary,” it added, “it is an intrinsic element of a larger policy of supporting cross-border violence and terrorism”.

Islamabad reacted by summoning India’s deputy envoy to Pakistan, Gaurav Ahluwalia, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and dismissed the allegation against the officials of its mission in New Delhi. “Pakistan completely dismisses allegations of any violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations by officials in New Delhi and reiterates that they always function within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms,” Aisha Farooqui, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Government, said in a statement.

“The Indian Government’s smear campaign against Pakistan cannot obfuscate the illegal activities in which the Indian High Commission officials were found involved in,” she said. “India would be better advised to focus on its internal and external issues, rather than creating diversions at the cost of peace and stability in South Asia.”