India, Pakistan expel High Commission officials

ANKARA

India and Pakistan have expelled each other's diplomats, declaring them "persona non grata" and asking them to leave the countries within 24 hours.

The Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday 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.

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.”

In a late-night tit-for-tat move, Pakistan expelled an official of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, declaring him "persona non grata for engaging in activities inconsistent with his privileged status," said a statement from Islamabad early Thursday.

The concerned official has been directed to leave Pakistan within 24 hours, the statement added.

Islamabad summoned the Indian charge d’affaires to the Foreign Ministry to convey the decision.

"It was stressed that none of the diplomats or staff members of the Indian High Commission should misuse their privileges and status in any manner," the statement further said.

This is the second official expulsion from the two arch-rivals this month.

It 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 the 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.