Pakistan takes cue from India! Indian High Commission officer in Islamabad declared 'persona non grata', asked to depart
Pakistan is furious over the move to expel the chief of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. This time Islamabad too followed New Delhi's footsteps. The Shahbaz Sharif government announced an official of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as 'persona non grata' and expelled him. Not only that, Islamabad has also issued him an ultimatum to leave Pakistan within 24 hours.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry released a statement stating that the official was involved in activities that were not in line with his official capacity in Pakistan. Due to this, the government of Pakistan views him as 'persona non grata'. The Indian senior diplomat (Charge d'Affaires) in Islamabad has been called and provided with necessary information and instructions. But the Pakistan Foreign Ministry did not explicitly declare the reason why the Indian High Commission official was expelled. But people feel sure that it is a 'retaliatory' act by Pakistan!
On Tuesday, the Indian government also announced an official of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi as 'persona non grata'. Along with that, he was asked to depart from India within 24 hours. Islamabad followed the same move within a few hours of that statement. The Indian government also did not state precisely why the Pakistani diplomat was being expelled. But a government source mentioned that recently the Punjab Police had arrested two individuals, including a woman, on the charges of smuggling 'sensitive information' pertaining to national security to an official of the Pakistani embassy in Delhi. The Pakistan High Commission official was expelled on the basis of that case's investigation.
India conducted 'Operation Sindoor' against terrorism. India alleges that during that operation, the Indian army struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan charges that civilians were killed in Indian retaliation. Subsequently, Indo-Pakistan border tension escalated. Pakistan initiated round-the-clock shelling. Besides that, it attempted to attack Indian army camps. But India foiled the attack every time. Military unrest between the two nations lasted for days. A number of people from both nations lost their lives in the attacks and counter-attacks. They include members of the military as well as civilians.
Nonetheless, there is a ceasefire at the negotiating table between the two nations. The shelling has ceased. In that environment, the news of the expulsion of the officials of the High Commissions of both nations broke.
