Earlier today Indian Ministry of External Affairs apprehended two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan by Indian law enforcement authorities for indulging in espionage activities in New Delhi. The Government declared both these officials persona non grata (unacceptable); for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission. The two officials were asked to leave the country within twenty-four hours.
Notably, Pakistan’s Charge de Affaires Syed Haider Shah issued a demarche (action); in which a strong protest was lodged concerning the activities of these officials of the High Commission of Pakistan against India’s national security. However, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs convicted the expulsion.
Explicitly, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs not only termed the accusation against the two officers false and unsubstantiated; but also accused India of detention and torture of the two officials. Therefore, the Pakistan foreign ministry asserted the Indian reaction being a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The ministry notified the Indian Charge d’Affaires to issue a strong demarche.
Earlier in 2016, India and Pakistan evacuated officials from each other’s diplomatic missions for purportedly spying. The same year, Pakistan arrested former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and sentenced to death claiming that he was a spy. Consequently, Kulbhushan Jadhav’s execution stayed after India moved the international court against the verdict in May 2017.
