Indian mission staffer's expulsion: MEA slams Pakistan, says it's in denial of its anti-India activities
Pakistan's action further confirms that it continued to be in denial of its anti-India activities, including cross-border terrorism, the MEA said.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday condemned expulsion of Indian High Commission staffer in Islamabad, saying Pakistan's action confirmed that it continued to be in denial of its anti-India activities.
India on Thursday declared a Pakistan High Commission staffer in New Delhi as persona non grata for espionage activities after he was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents, including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.
Following that, in a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan declared Surjeet Singh, an Indian High Commission official, as persona non-grata and asked him to leave the country within 48 hours.
The government said that Pakistan gave no justification for expelling Surjeet Singh. "Government notes with regret the Government of Pakistan’s decision to declare Shri Surjeet Singh, Assistant Personnel and Welfare Officer in the High Commission of India in Islamabad, persona non grata and expel him and his family members. No justification has been provided by the Government of Pakistan except for the completely baseless and unsubstantiated allegation that his activities were not in keeping with diplomatic norms," the MEA said in a statement.
Stating that the government condemned Pakistan’s step, the statement read, "It is obvious that the step is an afterthought following yesterday’s apprehension of Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar in Delhi while indulging in anti-India activities. Pakistan’s action further confirms that it continues to be in denial of its anti-India activities, including cross-border terrorism."
Mehmood Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the High Commission and had diplomatic immunity, was procuring critical details from two other accomplices who were arrested in Delhi, police said.