INDIA SUMMONS PAKISTAN ENVOY

NEWDELHI: India’s external affairs ministry summoned Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haidar Shah on Monday and lodged a strong protest at attempts being made during the ongoing visit of the Sikh pilgrims from India to Pakistan to raise the issue of “Khalistan”, according to an official statement.

Pakistan’s action, and the ministry’s complaint, are likely to strain the already poor relationship between the two countries.

Pakistan was called upon to “immediately stop all such activities that were aimed at undermining India’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and incitement of disharmony in India”, the statement said. India raised the issue of Sikh pilgrims being exposed to inflammatory statements and posters at pilgrimage centres.

“It was conveyed that such repeated attempts by authorities ... in Pakistan to extend support to secessionist movements in India amount to interference in the internal affairs of India.”

India also raised the issue of its diplomats not being allowed to meet Sikh pilgrims at Nankana Sabhib gurudwara. India pointed out that this is against the code of conduct (for the treatment of diplomatic and consular personnel in India and Pakistan) of 1992, recently reaffirmed by both countries. Islamabad countered the charge, accusing New Delhi of trying to “vitiate environment of bilateral relations”, even as the two nations sparred over the alleged snub to the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad, Ajay Bisaria who was prevented from meeting the pilgrims.