NEW DELHI – A senior Pakistani officer in New Delhi was harassed when hisvehicle was stopped in Chanakyapuri neighbourhood of the Indian capital andwas left with no other option but to return to the high commission.

In another incident, children of Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner werestopped while going to school and their driver was harassed, said thesources, adding that two recent accidents involving vehicles of the highcommission were also being considered as ‘deliberate acts’.

There were also reports of visitors and labourers being unduly stopped fromgoing in to the high commission building.

Sources said the Pakistani diplomats, their children and families werefinding it difficult to stay in New Delhi due to the intimidating behaviourof the Indian authorities.

Pakistan has officially conveyed their reservations on the matter to theIndian authorities, saying that performing their duties in New Delhi willbecome very difficult under the current circumstances.

According to the diplomatic sources, a total of around 500 to 600Pakistanis including 104 officials and staffers at the high commission andtheir family members are currently stationed in the Indian capital.

The news came just days after Pakistan and India agreed on the release ofcertain civilian prisoners – women, mentally ill and above 70 years of age— amid simmering tension between the two nuclear armed neighbours.

Frequent clashes along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundaryhave recently heightened tensions and even triggered fears of a largerconflict.