Pakistan calls back its India envoy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Monday it had recalled its high commissioner in India for consultations, a move that comes amid increasing tension between the two countries over a suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama that killed 40 troopers of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy.

Sohail Mahmood was earlier summoned by India’s foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale, who lodged a strong protest over the killing of the CRPF soldiers by a 22-year-old Kashmiri man trained by the Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pakistan has denied India’s charge that it harbours the Masood Azhar-led terrorist group that claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal tweeted on Monday: “We have called back our High Commissioner in India for consultations. He left New Delhi this morning.” It wasn’t immediately clear when Faisal would return to India. India recalled its ambassador to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria last week to discuss relations with the neighbour after the Pulwama attack, which prompted the government to say that strong action will be taken against the perpetrators.

Thursday’s attack triggered widespread anger across the country, with street protests demanding military action against Pakistan.

On Sunday, Islamabad said: “India needs to introspect and respond to questions about its security and intelligence lapses that led to this attack.”

India has withdrawn the Most Favoured Nation status for Pakistan and hiked the customs duty by 200% on goods being imported from Pakistan with immediate effect.

Union minister of state for external affairs VK Singh said that as its diplomatic strategy, India was exposing Pakistan’s misdeeds to the international community. He added that about 40 nations came forward to support India against Pakistan after Pulwama attack.

The weekly Poonch-Rawalakot cross-LoC bus service was suspended on Monday amid tension in Jammu following street protests.