Pakistan on Tuesday categorically rejected and strongly condemned the baseless allegations made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs as a pretext to seek 50 per cent reduction in staff strength of High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi.
“Pakistan completely dismisses allegations of any violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by the officials of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi and reiterates that they always function within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms,” a statement issued by the Foreign office here said. “Pakistan also rejects the insinuations of intimidation of Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad. The Indian government’s smear campaign against Pakistan cannot obfuscate the illegal activities in which the high commission officials were found involved in. The MEA’s statement is another effort to distort facts and deny the culpability of these Indian High Commission officials in criminal offences,” it added.
“The latest Indian action is a part of India’s desperate attempts to divert attention from its state-terrorism and worst human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir. 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. Pakistan has been consistently sensitizing the world community that irresponsible policies of the BJP government are increasingly imperilling regional peace and stability,” the Foreign Office said.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey Pakistan’s rejection and condemnation of the baseless Indian allegations. The Indian envoy was also informed of Pakistan’s decision to reduce the Indian High Commission’s staff strength by 50 per cent as a reciprocal measure, and was asked to implement the decision conveyed to him within seven days.
The Foreign Office statement came hours after India conveyed Charge d’Affaires of Pakistan in New Delhi to reduce the staff strength of Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi by 50 per cent following the baseless allegations that officials of Pakistani mission in New Delhi had engaged in ‘acts of espionage and maintained dealings with terrorist organisations’.
“The activities of the two officials caught red-handed and expelled on 31 May 2020 was one example in that regard,” the Indian external affairs ministry alleged. “While their officials indulged in actions that are not in conformity with their privileged status in the high commission, Pakistan has in parallel engaged in a sustained campaign to intimidate the officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad from carrying on their legitimate diplomatic functions,” the statement further claimed.
The Indian government also claimed that two officials in Islamabad were not involved in hit-and-run case but were ‘abducted at gunpoint’. “Their severe ill treatment underlines the extent to which Pakistan has gone in that direction,” the Indian handout claimed. “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. On the contrary, it is an intrinsic element of a larger policy of supporting cross-border violence and terrorism,” the Indian statement alleged. “Therefore, the government of India has taken the decision to reduce the staff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50%. This decision, which is to be implemented in seven days, was conveyed to the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires,” it concluded.
