ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani high commission said on Monday it had “suspended” a school for staff children in the Indian capital of New Delhi because of low enrollment levels.
Ties between bitter rivals India and Pakistan stand frozen since August 5, 2019, when New Delhi revoked semi-autonomous status of the part of Kashmir it controls, dividing it into two federally administered territories.
Reports suggested the school was closed over insufficient funds to pay salaries of school teachers and staff, but the Pakistani high commission said the decision was taken in view of “downgraded strength” of the mission, which was halved in June 2020 upon a request by Indian authorities.
“Upon completion of the current academic year, the activities of the Pakistan High Commission School have been suspended, because of low enrollment levels in view of the downgraded strength of the High Commission,” a spokesperson for the Pakistani high commission said in a statement.
“It may be noted that the School was never open to public and exclusively catered to the needs of children of staff of the High Commission.”
Kashmir has been a bone of contention between Pakistan and India since their independence from the British rule in 1947. Both neighbors rule parts of the Himalayan territory, but claim it in full and have fought two of their four wars over the disputed region.
Pakistan calls the revocation of Kashmir’s autonomy part of New Delhi’s alleged attempts to change the demography of the region, and has demanded the world fraternity take notice of it.
This month, India held a G20 tourism summit in the part of Kashmir it administers. It was the first diplomatic event in the territory since the revocation of the region’s semi-autonomy in 2019.
The move prompted strong reaction from Pakistan, with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari saying India was “abusing” its presidency of the G20. He ruled out any chance of a warming of ties unless New Delhi reversed the constitutional changes in Kashmir.
“Until this topic is addressed, it really stands in the way of peace in all of South Asia,” Bhutto-Zardari said.