Diplomatic staff harassed in Pak, India complains

nNEWDELHI: India has taken up with Pakistan the issue of harassment of Indian personnel in Islamabad and obstruction in the discharge of their duties days after New Delhi expelled two staffers of the Pakistani mission, people familiar with developments said on Thursday.

There were reports from Islamabad of Pakistani security and intelligence personnel aggressively tailing the vehicles of Indian diplomats, including chargé d’affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia, and behaving in an intimidating manner outside their residences in Islamabad, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. “The matter of harassment of Indian personnel and obstruction in their normal functioning is being taken up through established diplomatic channels,” said a person.

Several videos shared on social media purportedly showed Pakistani intelligence personnel on motorcycles tailing the Indian diplomats, including Ahluwalia.

On May 31, India had expelled two officials of the Pakistan high commission after they were detained by law enforcement authorities on charges of engaging in espionage.

Pakistan condemned India’s decision to declare the two officials persona non grata and expel them, saying they were detained on “false and unsubstantiated charges”. A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office contended the two men were tortured and threatened. India rejected these contentions.