Pakistan and India each announced the expulsion of one diplomat, accusing respective officials of espionage activities, in a reciprocal diplomatic move.
Pakistan declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as persona non grata.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the official has been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours.
The foreign office said the Indian Charge d’Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where a formal démarche was issued conveying the decision.
He added that it had called on the Indian mission to ensure that its personnel refrain from actions inconsistent with their diplomatic responsibilities.
According to Indian media, the Indian government had earlier announced that it had expelled an official working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and asked him to leave the country within 24 hours.
The Pakistani diplomat, who was declared “persona non grata” by the Indian authorities, was “indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status in India”, according to India’s foreign ministry in a statement.
Xinhua/NAN
