ISLAMABAD: After recent diplomatic feuds between South Asia’s two nuclear-armed neighbors, 38 staff members of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and 143 staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi returned to their countries along with their families via the Wagah-Attari border on Tuesday, officials confirmed while talking to Arab News.
“Yes, our officials [from the Pakistan High Commission] have returned and Indians have also left for their country today,” said foreign office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui.
In a sign of escalating tensions between the two regional rivals, India and Pakistan asked each other to reduce their embassy staff by 50 percent in seven days.
The development came after India threatened to expel half of Pakistan’s staff in New Delhi on charges of “espionage” and “terrorism” on June 23. In a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan asked India to cut down the strength of its diplomatic mission by half within the seven-day timeframe announced by New Delhi.
According to documents in possession of Arab News, six diplomats and their families were among the 38 Indian High Commission staffers who left for their country.
“They [the Indian diplomatic staff and their families] are scheduled to cross over today. However, we don’t share operational details,” Indian High Commission spokesperson Vipul Dev told Arab News in response to a query.
“143 Pakistanis, including 39 Pakistani diplomatic staff, have reached their country through the Wagah-Attari border. The group also included family members of our diplomatic staff,” a Pakistani High Commission official, who requested anonymity, told Arab News from New Delhi.
Relations between the two nuclear rivals have been strained for a while, with the embassies in both countries operating without high commissioners for the past one year.
“India is trying to flex its muscles against Pakistan after getting humiliated by China in Ladakh. The further downgrading of already reduced diplomatic relations on a false pretext of espionage is a clear example of that,” Asif Ali Khan Durrani, a former Pakistani diplomat, told Arab News.
He added the development had further diminished the chances of reducing tension between the two neighbors.
“India is playing with fire in the region. It has already unleashed a new wave of violence to destabilize Pakistan which is evident from the attack on the stock exchange building in Karachi. The Balochistan Liberation Army has been supported and financed by Indians,” Durrani said.
