​​​​​​​- Islamabad yet to respond to latest move by New Delhi

ANKARA

India on Wednesday declared a Pakistani official working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi "persona non grata" and asked him to leave the country within 24 hours.

The Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a Pakistani official working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has been declared “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,” the ministry said.

By the time this story was published at 1635GMT, Islamabad had yet to react to New Delhi's latest move.

The ministry said the Pakistani mission’s charge d’affaires has been “asked to strictly ensure that none of the Pakistani diplomats or officials in India misuse their privileges and status in any manner.”

This is the second official expulsion from India this month. Islamabad responded with a similar move.

The expulsion of the Pakistani official comes as the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors observe a US-mediated ceasefire since May 10 following a military escalation that began on May 6, when India fired missiles inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, hitting what New Delhi said were "nine terror locations," triggering retaliation on May 10 by Islamabad, which hit 26 Indian military targets inside its eastern neighbor as well as in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Following the ceasefire declaration on May 10, the rival militaries last week decided to continue “confidence-building measures to reduce alertness level.”

The two sides have taken several retaliatory measures, including expelling their diplomats since the latest crisis began early this month.