Islamabad [Pakistan]: In a reciprocal diplomatic move, Pakistan on Tuesday declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as persona non grata, following India’s decision to expel a Pakistani official stationed at its High Commission in New Delhi. The development further strains bilateral ties amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indian diplomat was accused of engaging in activities “incompatible with his privileged status.”
“A Staff Member of the Indian High Commission, Islamabad, Declared as Persona Non Grata. The Government of Pakistan has declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission, Islamabad, as persona non grata for engaging in activities incompatible with his privileged status. The concerned official has been directed to leave Pakistan within 24 hours,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry posted on X.
“The Indian Charge d’Affaires was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today for a demarche, conveying this decision,” the post added.
Earlier in the day, India had expelled a Pakistani staff member at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, accusing the official of involvement in actions not consistent with his diplomatic role.
An official statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs read:
“The Government of India has declared a Pakistani official, working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, persona non grata for indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status in India. The official has been asked to leave India within 24 hours. Charge d’ Affaires, Pakistan High Commission, was issued a demarche to this effect today.”
This incident follows a series of escalations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. In April, India handed over a Persona Non Grata note to Pakistan’s top diplomat Saad Ahmad Warraich, targeting Pakistan’s military attachés in Delhi.
The diplomatic expulsions come in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22, which left 26 tourists dead and many injured. The Indian Armed Forces carried out precise strikes on multiple terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoJK), targeting 11 air bases and eliminating over 100 terrorists, while reportedly avoiding civilian casualties.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had earlier stated that the total strength of diplomats at both High Commissions would be reduced from 55 to 30, reflecting a significant diplomatic downgrade.