India Asks Pak High Commission To Cut Staff By 50%; A Look At Series Of Events Which Led To Downgrading Of Ties

It is pertinent to note that the last time India downgraded diplomatic ties by asking Pakistan to reduce the staff strength in its high commission was after the Parliament attack in December 2001

New Delhi: India has asked Pakistan to reduce its staff in high commission in Delhi straight to half the strength now, within a period of seven days, a move further downgrading the ties between the two conflicting neighbours. At the same India also said that it will also do a ‘reciprocal trimming’ of  its staff in its high commission in Islamabad. Also Check: India Downgrades Ties With Pakistan; Asks To Reduce Staff In Delhi High Commission By Half The move comes after two Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad were abducted on gunpoint and tortured by Pakistani security agencies.  It is also to be noted that Pakistan High Commission officials are suspected of carrying out espionage activities in India and maintaining dealings with terror outfits. As per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, the government summoned the Charge d' Affaires (CDA) of Pakistan and informed him about its decision related to the Pakistan High Commission. Government recalled the recent case where two Pakistani visa officials were caught red-handed and expelled for spying last month. Pakistan’s response: Pakistan Foreign Office has rejected the charges of India and said that Pakistan has not made any violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by the officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and reiterates that they always function within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms. It also denied of the charges of intimidating Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad. What led to downgrading of diplomatic ties:

1. Pakistani high commission officials caught spying in India: Earlier, Indian authorities had caught two employees of Pakistani High Commission on espionage charges. The officials were under the radar of the authorities for a long time and were caught while procuring sensitive data about Indian security establishment. They were subsequently expelled from India.

 

2. Stalking of India's top diplomat to Pakistan Gaurav Ahluwalia: Indian Charge d’ Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia stationed in Pakistan capital Islamabad had said earlier this month that the vehicle he was travelling in was chased by an unidentified persons on a motorbike in Pakistan capital Islamabad.

 

3. Arrest of Indian High Commission staffers and alleged mistreatment: Two personnel of the Indian High Commission went missing on June 15 morning and it was later learned that they were detained by the Pakistani police in an alleged 'hit and run' case. Sources later claimed that the two high-commission staffers were ill-treated during detainment. They were allegedly beaten with rods and were even forced to drink dirty water. They later returned to the country through the Attari-Wagah border.

  Staff strength was last reduced after Parliament attacks: It is pertinent to note that the last time India downgraded diplomatic ties by asking Pakistan to reduce the staff strength in its high commission was after the Parliament attack in December 2001. However, as relations improved by 2005, the staff strength at both missions returned to the normal level. Also Watch: India asks Pakistan to reduce embassy staff by 50% In the statement by Ministry of External Affairs, while Pakistan continues to carry out tasks which it is not privileged to within Indian territories through its high commission, in a parallel movement it is intimidating Indian officials of high commission in Islamabad and preventing them  from carrying out their legitimate functions. Therefore, it said, India has taken the decision to reduce the staff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50 per cent. "It would reciprocally reduce its own presence in Islamabad to the same proportion. This decision, which is to be implemented in seven days, was conveyed to the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires," it added.