Pakistan slams malicious Indian move declaring two officials Persona Non Grata

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday condemned the Government of India’s decision to declare two officials of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi persona non grata (PNG) requiring them to leave India within 24 hours, ARY News reported.

According to an official press release issued by the foreign office of Pakistan on the matter, “The Indian action has been accompanied by a negative pre-planned and orchestrated media campaign, which is a part of persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda.”

Two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges. They were, however, released on intervention by the High Commission.

A possible detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges was reported which has been emphatically slammed by the government of Pakistan.

Pakistan strongly rejects the baseless Indian allegations and deplores the Indian action which is in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct especially in an already vitiated atmosphere, the press release reads further.

The High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi has always worked within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms.

The Indian action is clearly aimed at shrinking diplomatic space for the working of Pakistan High Commission, said the foreign office.

“Indian attempts to escalate the tensions will not succeed in diverting attention either from the ongoing internal and external issues faced by the BJP government or from the worsening situation and gross human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).”

Pakistan urges the international community to take notice of the Indian designs and play its role in ensuring peace and security in South Asia.