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Pakistan releases two Indian High Commission employees involved in hit-and-run incident [Update #17]

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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Police arrested two Indian High Commission officials for attempting to flee after running over a man and critically injuring him.

According to eyewitnesses, a BMW car hit a pedestrian who was walking on the embassy road at around 8am and attempted to flee. The pedestrian was critically injured and shifted to a hospital for treatment.

The car was stopped by a huge crowd of people who handed over the two men to Islamabad Police. After they were arrested, police discovered that the two persons were officials of the Indian High Commission.

Eyewitnesses said the car was being driven irresponsibly and had gotten out of control due to overspeeding. The victim was walking on the footpath at the road when he was run over by the car.

Indian media says two high commission officials 'go missing'

Indian English daily, the 'Times of India' featured a report earlier today, stating that two officials of the Indian High Commission 'had gone missing' in Islamabad.

"The officials were out for an official work before they went missing. The Indian government has taken up the matter with Pakistani authorities," said the report.

Last month, India declared two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi “persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours” alleging that they had been found guilty of espionage.

Pakistan had condemned the Indian government’s decision to expel the staff members as part of a “persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

Islamabad had said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were “lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges”. They were subsequently released after the Pakistan High Commission intervened.

“We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges,” the Foreign Office had said.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/293239-islamabad-police-arrest-two-indian-high-commission-officials-for
 
Who was behind the wheel? I think countries provide local drivers to all embassies.
 
2 ‘missing’ Indian staffers released by Pakistan, have visible injuries: Official

Two Indian high commission staffers who went missing on Monday morning have been handed over at Islamabad’s secretariat police station, barely 2 km from the Indian mission. The two staffers have visible injury marks, people familiar with the development told Hindustan Times.

They were handed over to two Indian high commission officials who had gone to Islamabad’s Secretariat police station to take their custody. The two staffers, who had gone missing soon after they stepped out of the high commission on Monday morning, shall undergo a medical examination to confirm that they are well and record their visible injuries.

Pakistan had claimed, nearly seven hours after the two staffers had gone missing, that they had been arrested in a “hit and run” road accident case.

For most of Monday, Pakistan’s foreign office and its diplomats in the Indian capital told New Delhi that they were “looking into the matter”.

The claim that the embassy staffers - a driver and a Central Industrial Security Force personnel - had been detained in a road accident case was reported in the Pakistani media several hours later. Quoting police sources, Pakistan’s SAMAA TV said the high commission car had been involved in a road accident and the two occupants were caught by the public when they were trying to get away.

It is after reports in Pakistani media on these lines emerged that New Delhi decided to summon Pakistan’s charge d’affaires Syed Haider Shah to the external affairs ministry and reminded him that it was the responsibility of the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of the diplomatic mission’s personnel.

Haider Shah was also told that there should be no interrogation or harassment of the Indian officials.

“The Pakistani side was asked to return the two officials along with the official car to the High Commission immediately,” a government source said.

Indian officials said the sequence of events that led to the arrest of the two staffers would be available only after their de-briefing. “We will then also know if they were mistreated by Pakistani security officials,” one official said, adding that prima facie, the staffers appear to have been assaulted.

The detention of the two staffers is seen as a retaliation for the expulsion of two officials posted at Pakistan’s high commission in Delhi on a charge of espionage a fortnight back. The three Pakistan high commission staffers were caught in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh market for trying to procure classified information relating to the movement of army troops.

Already, Pakistan’s security personnel had been harassing and obstructing Indian diplomats in Islamabad from discharging their duties after the expulsion of its staffers for espionage. Pakistani security and intelligence personnel have been aggressively tailing vehicles of Indian diplomats including chargé d’affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia, and behaving in an intimidating manner outside their residences in Islamabad.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...n-2-km-away/story-5lCDQzSjU7rrNLARURtVDP.html
 
2 Indian High Commission officials arrested in Islamabad after being involved in road accident

Two officials of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan were handed over to the police on Monday after being involved in a car accident in Islamabad, it emerged on Monday.

According to a letter by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the staffers were identified as Dwimu Brahma and Paul Selvadhas and had arrived in the country in 2017. From the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the two officials are non-diplomats.

According to the FIR registered at the Secretariat Police Station, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the two officials ran over a pedestrian and subsequently attempted to flee. The FIR also stated that counterfeit currency notes were found in the possession of one of the officials.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1563717/2...lamabad-after-being-involved-in-road-accident
 
This is bad.. why were they manhandled and beaten these are Indian diplomats if they had any problem with them they could have just deported them back to India like India did to two pakistani diplomats.
I think this assault was payback by ISI for their diplomats deportation back to Pakistan just few days ago when they were caught spying..
I sincerely want pakistani diplomats to get the same treatment when they get out of their embassy
 
India could consider reducing its diplomatic presence in Pakistan in light of the abduction and torture of two high commission staffers who had stepped out on Monday, people familiar with the development told Hindustan Times.

The two staffers were abducted by about 15 armed men from a petrol station in Islamabad’s upscale locality a short distance from the Indian mission, tortured for hours and framed for a road accident before being released. They have extensive injury marks to their neck, face, thighs and back.

New Delhi has not formally reacted to the abduction and torture of its staffers.

In their debriefing to Indian high commission officials, the two abducted staffers spoke extensively about their torture, the “scripted” confessions that they were forced to record on video and the threats that were hurled at them.

“The abductors, who we believe were from Pakistan’s ISI (Inter Services Intelligence), repeatedly told them this is the treatment that would be meted out to other mission officials as well in future,” a government source said.

If the government of Pakistan cannot deliver on its commitment under the Vienna Convention to ensure the safety of Indian diplomats, Indian diplomats cannot possibly discharge their responsibilities. It would be natural, under the circumstances, to consider if India should scale down its presence to the bare essentials, a government source told Hindustan Times.

Besides, Pakistan watchers in Delhi said Indian high commission officials could hardly move out of the mission due to fear that they would be picked up. In contrast, Pakistani officials in Delhi have been going around freely, some of them even tapping people for classified information. Two of them were expelled on May 31 for espionage.

Since the strength of diplomatic missions are decided on a reciprocal basis, it would mean that Islamabad would also have to prune its strength in New Delhi if India pulls back some diplomats.

Pakistan had last August downgraded diplomatic ties after India scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and carved out two centrally-administered union territories. The missions of the two countries have since then been headed by a charge d’affaires, not a high commissioner.

Officials said the line of questioning that the two staff members, both drivers, were subjected to while in custody of the ISI on Monday indicated that this may not be the last such incident. They were interrogated about the specific role and function of all high commission officials, down to the most junior staffers and tortured to confess that alleged intelligence officials at the commission would get them to bring people hidden in the cars for meetings in the commission.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...ngth-in-pak/story-CaAfvJK4qCHd9EDe4jfKoM.html
 
This is bad.. why were they manhandled and beaten these are Indian diplomats if they had any problem with them they could have just deported them back to India like India did to two pakistani diplomats.
I think this assault was payback by ISI for their diplomats deportation back to Pakistan just few days ago when they were caught spying..
I sincerely want pakistani diplomats to get the same treatment when they get out of their embassy

Why should anyone believe accounts by India media?
 
ISLAMABAD: Two officials of the Indian High Commission, who were held over a hit-and-run incident in the federal capital, have been released due to their diplomatic status, Islamabad Police said in a statement issued late Monday.

Islamabad police said both Indian High Commission officials were released due to their diplomatic immunity and had been handed over in the presence of Pakistani ministry's officials.

A case had earlier been filed against the two Indian officers for running over and critically injuring a man before allegedly trying to flee from the site of the accident. Both were taken into custody and a first information report (FIR) was registered against them in the Secretariat Police Station, with charges of negligence, reckless driving, and overspeeding.

The FIR stated that counterfeit currency worth Rs10,000 was also recovered from the Indian diplomats.

Earlier today, Islamabad Police had arrested the two Indian officials for attempting to flee after running over a man and critically injuring him. Eyewitnesses explained that a BMW vehicle hit a pedestrian who was walking on the Embassy Road at around 8am and attempted to flee.

The pedestrian was critically injured and shifted to a hospital for treatment. A huge crowd of people stopped the car and handed over the two men to Islamabad Police.

After they were arrested, police discovered that they were officials of the Indian High Commission.

Eyewitnesses said the car was being driven irresponsibly and had gotten out of control due to overspeeding. The victim was walking on the footpath at the road when he was run over by the car.

Indian media claims officials 'go missing'

Indian English daily, the Times of India, featured a report earlier today, stating that two officials of the Indian High Commission "had gone missing" in Islamabad.

"The officials were out for an official work before they went missing. The Indian government has taken up the matter with Pakistani authorities," the report had said.

Last month, India declared two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi "persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours", alleging that they had been found guilty of espionage.

Pakistan had condemned the Indian government’s decision to expel the staff members as part of a “persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

Islamabad had said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were “lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges”.

They were subsequently released after the Pakistan High Commission intervened. “We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges,” the Foreign Office had said.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/293239-po...ommission-staffers-after-hit-and-run-incident
 
Don't know whom to believe as both sides always present a totally different story during these matters.

Few questions that emerge however as raised bg another poster, wasn't there a driver? And if visible marks of manhandling are there then Pakistan has some explaination to do.

You have 24 hours to present your reply otherwise we will have Arnab Gowswamy and Major Arya humiliate a random Pakistani journalist on TV.
 
Don't know whom to believe as both sides always present a totally different story during these matters.

Few questions that emerge however as raised bg another poster, wasn't there a driver? And if visible marks of manhandling are there then Pakistan has some explaination to do.

You have 24 hours to present your reply otherwise we will have Arnab Gowswamy and Major Arya humiliate a random Pakistani journalist on TV.

This is normal t for tat among diplomats. after india expelled pakistani diplomats, pakistan had to retaliate to assert its power. They have drawn a line after slapping the indian staffers. the matter should end there. Unless india does something else, and indian staffers get more slaps. in diplomacy it is important to know where to stop and take an honourable exit.
 
This is bad.. why were they manhandled and beaten these are Indian diplomats if they had any problem with them they could have just deported them back to India like India did to two pakistani diplomats.
I think this assault was payback by ISI for their diplomats deportation back to Pakistan just few days ago when they were caught spying..
I sincerely want pakistani diplomats to get the same treatment when they get out of their embassy

All such treatment are returned in the spirit of reciprocity.
 
The Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday rejected the Indian Ministry of External Affairs' "irresponsible" statement regarding the detention of two Indian High Commission employees involved in a hit-and-run in Islamabad a day earlier, calling it a "reprehensible attempt to distort facts and deny culpability".

In a statement, FO spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said: "The Indian MEA’s litany of baseless allegations is yet another attempt to malign Pakistan and [is] a part of desperate efforts to divert attention from India’s state terrorism in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

"The BJP government must realise that its irresponsible policies and unilateral actions are increasingly imperiling peace and security in the region. India must act responsibly in the interest of regional peace and stability."

Earlier today, NDTV reported that the staffers were "forcibly abducted [...] kept in illegal custody for more than 10 hours".

Quoting a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the report said the two staff members had been "subjected to interrogation, torture and physical assault, resulting in grievous injuries".

"They were video-graphed and coerced to accept a litany of fictitious allegations and concocted charges. The vehicle of the High Commission, in which they were travelling, was extensively damaged," it added.

Responding to the statement, the FO spokesperson said that the two officials — identified as Dwimu Brahma and Selvadas Paul — were speeding and subsequently crashed into a pedestrian on June 15.

"The pedestrian was seriously injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. The officials attempted to flee from the scene, however, some passersby who witnessed the incident stopped them from fleeing and informed the police," the statement said.

"During the course of the investigation, fake currency was also recovered from the aforementioned officials. After it was confirmed that the said officials were from the Indian High Commission, they were released and handed over to a senior diplomat from the [commission].

"The senior Indian diplomat was reminded that possession of fake currency and 'hit-and-run' after an incident are serious offences.
Such illegal actions and reckless conduct by officials of the Indian High Commission are against the law and established diplomatic norms.

"He was also reminded of the Indian High Commission’s obligations to ensure that its members did not engage in illegal activities and adhered to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961."

Road accident triggers India-Pakistan spat

According to the first information report (FIR) registered with the Secretariat Police Station, the two officials, who were driving to the high commission in a dark-coloured car early in the morning, had hit a pedestrian attempting to cross the road.

The pedestrian, who was not identified in the report, was seriously injured and shifted to the Poly Clinic hospital by passersby, the police said.

The two persons in the car, police said, tried to flee after the accident on Khayaban-i-Suhrawardy, but were stopped by people who had gathered at the scene.

They were handed over to the police and were later shifted to the police station for interrogation. According to the FIR, fake currency notes worth Rs10,000 were also seized from them.

Both were booked by police for reckless driving, causing injury due to negligent driving, and possessing fake currency.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1563925/p...nt-involving-indian-high-commission-officials
 
Islamabad, Pakistan - Pakistan's government has "categorically rejected" Indian assertions that two Indian diplomats had been "forcibly abducted" in the Pakistani capital earlier this week, saying the men had been involved in a hit-and-run traffic accident and had been returned to Indian custody after legal formalities were completed.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, Pakistan's Foreign Office said the two men "were over-speeding and crashed their car into a pedestrian on [Monday]".

"The pedestrian was seriously injured and taken to the hospital for treatment," said the statement. "The officials attempted to flee from the scene; however, some passersby who witnessed the incident stopped them from fleeing and informed the police."

The men, named by Pakistan as Dwimu Brahma and Selvadas Paul, were returned to the custody of a senior Indian High Commission official later the same day, Pakistan's Foreign Office said.

The incident is the latest in tensions between the two South Asian neighbours, who routinely accuse each other of harassing their diplomats.

Earlier this month, India expelled two Pakistani High Commission staff stationed in New Delhi for "espionage".

India disputes Pakistan's version of events, saying the men were attacked by unnamed "Pakistan security agencies", a term often used to refer to the country's intelligence services.

"The two Indian officials were subjected to interrogation, torture and physical assault resulting in grievous injuries to them," said India's Ministry of External Affairs in a statement issued on Tuesday. "They were video-graphed and coerced to accept a litany of fictitious allegations and concocted charges."

Pakistan's charge d'affaires at its High Commission in New Delhi was summoned to register India's "strong protest" against the incident.

Pakistan, however, termed the Indian statement "a reprehensible attempt to distort facts and deny the culpability of these officials in criminal offences". Its Foreign Office said the men had been involved in "illegal actions and reckless conduct", and that their behaviour violated the norms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Pakistan says the men were also carrying "fake currency" when they were apprehended.

Police in the Pakistani capital Islamabad did not respond to a request by Al Jazeera for comment on Wednesday. Earlier, police spokesman Zia Bajwa said the police would not be issuing statements on the incident, as that was the purview of the Foreign Office.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since gaining independence from the British in 1947. Relations have been particularly tense in recent years, with conflict centring on the disputed region of Kashmir, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of.

On Tuesday, Pakistan's foreign minister said the country was "closely monitoring" escalating tensions between China - a Pakistan ally - and India along their disputed border in Kashmir region, after a clash between their forces saw at least 20 Indian soldiers killed in the Galwan Valley.
 
Pakistan releases two Indian High Commission employees involved in hit-and-run incident

Authorities on Monday released two Indian High Commission officials who were involved in a hit-and-run incident in the federal capital.

The two, Dwimu Brahma and Paul Selvadhas, were sent back to India via the Wagah border crossing. Authorities had also found counterfeit currency from their possession.

Brahma and Selvadhas had arrived in the country in 2017, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

The capital territory police arrested the two Indian officials on June 15 however, they were freed after the FO intervened in the matter.

The two officials were accompanied by the second secretary of the Indian Embassy and the air attache, who have been summoned to New Delhi for consultations on the current Pak-India tension.

Earlier, an FIR (First Information Report) registered at the Secretariat Police Station said the two officials ran over a pedestrian and subsequently attempted to flee.

Counterfeit currency notes were also recovered from one of the detained Indian high commission officials, the FIR added.

Neither the FO nor the Indian High Commission issued any formal statement.

The incident was first reported by the Indian media, which claimed that two Indian officials went missing when they came out of the office for some work.

The media also reported that the Pakistani chargé d’affaires was summoned by the Indian External Affairs Ministry over the incident.

According to the media reports, soon after the arrests of two Indian staffers in Islamabad, the Pakistani mission in New Delhi was besieged by Indian intelligence agencies with the intention to harass its diplomatic staff.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/224800...mmission-employees-involved-hit-run-incident/
 
This is the age of Zoom. India and Pakistan should withdraw all diplomatic staff from each others countries, hire only locals to run their embassies and diplomats should teleconference when needed. Obviously diplomats should not be exposed to assault and torture.
 
This is the age of Zoom. India and Pakistan should withdraw all diplomatic staff from each others countries, hire only locals to run their embassies and diplomats should teleconference when needed. Obviously diplomats should not be exposed to assault and torture.

Totally agree about the last one. I am sure many innocent people on both sides have been tortures as a result of revenge.
 
India asks Pakistan to reduce high commission strength by 50%

In yet another sign of deepening tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, India has decided to reduce the staff strength of Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi by 50 per cent.

The decision was conveyed to the Charge d’Affaires of Pakistan, who was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs, said a statement issued by the Indian External Affairs Ministry on Tuesday.

It added that India would also reduce the staff strength of its diplomatic mission in Islamabad by the same amount.

The Indian government blamed Pakistan for further downgrading in the diplomatic ties. There has been no reaction yet from Islamabad but officials said a meeting is underway at the Foreign Office to discuss the latest development.

Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties in August last year when it pulled out its High Commissioner and ordered the expulsion of the Indian envoy after New Delhi revoked the special status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

On May 31, India declared two staffers of the Pakistani mission persona non grata after accusing them of espionage. Both were expelled later. However, Pakistan strongly dismissed Indian claims and instead accused New Delhi for violating the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

Recently, India withdrew two of its staff members, who were briefly detained by Islamabad police in a “hit-and-run” accident. Both officials returned to New Delhi on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Modi government claimed 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 blamed Pakistan.

Contrary to Pakistan version, the Indian government claimed two officials 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 official statement added.

“Therefore, the government of India has taken the decision to reduce the staff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50%. 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 concluded.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2248878/1-india-asks-pakistan-reduce-mission-strength-new-delhi-50/
 
Totally agree about the last one. I am sure many innocent people on both sides have been tortures as a result of revenge.

I think if Desis can't learn to behave properly with diplomats (could be Indian, could be Pakistani depending upon who you believe) then they should just reduce interaction wherever possible.
 
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Indian government was attempting to divert the world's attention from its border dispute with China to Pakistan, as diplomatic tensions rose between the two countries.

Speaking to Geo Pakistan on Wednesday, the foreign minister spoke about India's move to tell Pakistan's diplomatic staff in New Delhi to slash its presence by 50% on charges they had violated the Vienna Convention.

"India's mood is clear [for all to see] as it wants to divert attention from its border dispute with China to Pakistan," said the foreign minister, adding that India was finding excuses to launch a false flag operation against Pakistan.

"The opposition in India is raising questions that their government can't answer," he said, referring to the criticism being faced by the Modi government regarding its response to the border dispute with China in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

Stating that India had posed baseless allegations against Pakistani diplomats of spying in New Delhi, Qureshi said that the Pakistani staff was harassed in India and their cars were followed by authorities.

He said that Pakistan had not only condemned the allegations but also rejected them. The foreign minister added that the Indian Chargé d’ Affaires in Islamabad was summoned and told that the same treatment would be meted out to the Indian staff.

"We told him [Indian Chargé d’ Affaires] that because of this unilateral policy, you also wrap up and slash your [diplomatic staff] presence by 50%," noted FM Qureshi.

In response to a question about a recent cabinet meeting where, according to sources, PM Imran told ministers they had till six months to perform, the foreign minister refused to divulge any information.

"To discuss internal discussions of the cabinet on media would be unreasonable and I will not do that," said Qureshi. "Everything has its own forum. The affairs of the party are discussed in the core committee and party meetings. The affairs of the cabinet are discussed in cabinet meetings, I will have to excuse myself," he added.

Pakistan asked to cut embassy staff by half
On Tuesday, India had told Pakistan to slash its embassy staff in New Delhi by half — saying it would do the same in Islamabad.

"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," the Indian MEA had said in a statement.

"Therefore, the government of India has taken the decision to reduce the staff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50%."

Pakistani embassy officials expelled
The fractious relationship between India and Pakistan has worsened since New Delhi expelled two Pakistan embassy officials over spying allegations in late May.

Pakistan had condemned the Indian government’s decision as part of a “persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

According to a Foreign Office statement, India’s decision to declare two officials of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi “persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours” was accompanied by a “negative pre-planned and orchestrated media campaign, which is a part of persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

It added that two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were “lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges”.

Islamabad police arrest two Indian High Commission staffers in hit-and-run incident
Following the incident, New Delhi accused Islamabad of torturing two Indian diplomats arrested in a hit-and-run incident in Islamabad.

The incident occurred last week when Islamabad Police had arrested the two Indian officials for attempting to flee after running over a man and critically injuring him.

Islamabad police later said both Indian High Commission officials were released due to their diplomatic immunity and had been handed over in the presence of Pakistani ministry's officials.

A case had earlier been filed against them in the Secretariat Police Station, with charges of negligence, reckless driving, and overspeeding.

The FIR stated that counterfeit currency worth Rs10,000 was also recovered from the Indian diplomats.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/294594-in...der-dispute-with-china-to-pakistan-fm-qureshi
 
SLAMABAD: Around 38 officials of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan left for India on Wednesday, in a recent blow to the deteriorating diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Diplomatic sources informed Geo News that the Indian High Commission officials went back to India via the Wagah-Attari border today.

The relations between the two countries recently became more strained after two Indian diplomats were caught trying to escape from a hit-and-run incident in Islamabad last month.

After the incident, reports emerged of Indian authorities harassing Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said earlier that India will be repaid in the same coin and also asked to reduce its diplomatic staff in Islamabad.

Pretext to reduce Pakistani embassy staff

On June 23, Pakistan "completely dismissed" allegations made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs that its staff in New Delhi had violated any diplomatic conventions, saying they were used as "a pretext to seek 50% reduction in the staff strength" at the embassy.

"Pakistan categorically rejects and strongly condemns the baseless allegations made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs as a pretext to seek 50% reduction in the staff strength of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi," read a statement by the Foreign Office.

The Foreign Office said it reiterates that the staff "always function within the parametres of international law and diplomatic norms".

It also rejected insinuations that Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad were "intimidated".

Harassment of Pakistani diplomats
In June, tensions between India and Pakistan continued to rise after reports emerged of Pakistani diplomats being harassed in New Delhi.

A heavy contingent of police officials surrounded the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi in an apparent attempt to harass the Pakistani diplomats.

The development came in the wake of Islamabad Police arresting two employees of the Indian High Commission on Monday for attempting to flee after running over a man and critically injuring him.

Islamabad police said both Indian High Commission officials were released due to their diplomatic immunity and had been handed over in the presence of Pakistani ministry's officials.

A case had earlier been filed against the two Indian officers for running over and critically injuring a man before allegedly trying to flee from the site of the accident. Both were taken into custody and a first information report (FIR) was registered against them in the Secretariat Police Station, with charges of negligence, reckless driving, and overspeeding.

India declares two Pakistan HC officials persona non grata
Last month, India declared two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi "persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours", alleging that they had been found guilty of espionage.

Pakistan had condemned the Indian government’s decision to expel the staff members as part of a “persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

Islamabad had said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were “lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges”.

They were subsequently released after the Pakistan High Commission intervened. “We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges,” the Foreign Office had said.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/295737-38...officials-leave-for-india-amid-diplomatic-row
 
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