Two Pakistan High Commission Officials Caught Spying Posed As 'Businessmen'

"The two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were apprehended for indulging in espionage activities", a statement by MEA read.

Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. (Image: AFP)

New Delhi: Two Pakistani High Commission High Officials were caught spying on Sunday after an operation by Military Intelligence (MI) found out that the 2 officials would visit Indian defence personnel as "businessmen" to secure information for "news reporters". According to an IANS report, both Abid Hussain and Mohammad Tahir have been declared persona non grata and expelled from India. An official statement of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were apprehended for indulging in espionage activities. According to agency reports citing sources, one of the officials, Hussain, worked as an assistant in the Department of Trade in Pakistan High Commission, is an ISI spy and hails from Pakistan's Punjab. The other official, Tahir, is from Islamabad and was working as an upper-division clerk in Pakistan High Commission. According to reports, Hussain, 42, would meet Indian defence officials posing as a businessman from Amritsar. Tahir, 44, would accompany him to the meetings and seek information about news reporters. According to the agency report, the two would pay Rs 25,000 for information and even offer expensive gifts such as iPhones. Money was also paid through mobile wallets such as PayTM, the report cited. The law enforcement agencies, who apprehended the two officials, recovered some incriminating documents, Rs 15,000, and two iPhones from them. Of the two iPhones, they were to give one to their informants. The two have been in India for the last two years and were being driven around by one Javed Akhtar, a resident of Mianwali in Pakistan's Punjab. Akhtar has also been arrested. The Ministry of External Affairs, in its statement, described the activities of the officials "inimical to India" and "incompatible with their diplomatic status". According to reports both the officials will be sent back to Pakistan via Attari-Wagah Border. Also watch: New revelation in Pak espionage case: Accused spied while posing as businessmen