NEW DELHI – India told Pakistan on Tuesday to slash its embassy staff inNew Delhi by half — saying it would do the same in Islamabad — as adiplomatic spat continued between the nuclear-armed rivals.
The fractious relationship between the neighbours has worsened since NewDelhi expelled two Pakistan embassy officials over spying claims in lateMay.
After that, New Delhi accused Islamabad of torturing two Indian diplomatsarrested following an alleged hit-and-run in the Pakistani capital.
The men returned to India on Monday, where they “provided graphic detailsof the barbaric treatment that they experienced”, the foreign ministryclaimed.
“The behaviour of Pakistan and its officials is not in conformity with theVienna Convention and bilateral agreements on the treatment of diplomaticand consular officials,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Therefore, the government of India has taken the decision to reduce thestaff strength in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50 percent.”
The ministry said it would also “reciprocally reduce its own presence inIslamabad to the same proportion”.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it “completely dismisses” allegations itsstaff in New Delhi had violated any diplomatic conventions.
“Pakistan also rejects the insinuations of intimidation of Indian HighCommission officials in Islamabad,” a Pakistan ministry statement read.
“The Indian government’s smear campaign against Pakistan cannot obfuscatethe illegal activities in which the Indian High Commission officials werefound involved in,” the statement added — an apparent reference to a June16 traffic incident in Islamabad that two Indian officials allegedly fled.
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The Pakistan statement said it was Islamabad — and not New Delhi — thathad ordered the reciprocal 50 percent reduction to the Indian diplomaticpresence in the Pakistan capital.
Both countries said the staffing cuts must be made within seven days.
The Pakistan high commission in New Delhi was allowed up to have up to 106personnel, but in recent months Islamabad reduced staff levels to about 80,diplomatic sources told AFP.
Tensions were already high after India in August scrapped Muslim-majorityregion Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status and imposed a major securityclampdown.
Kashmir was split between India and Pakistan in 1947 when they gainedindependence from Britain, but is claimed by both.
Indian government forces have also been conducting numerouscounter-insurgency operations in Kashmir since a nationwide virus lockdownwas imposed in late March, killing dozens of alleged militants.
New Delhi regularly blames Islamabad for arming and training rebels beforesending them across the border into Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistandenies the charges. -APP/AFP
