Cut Mission staff by half, Pakistan told amid spying row

New Delhi, June 23

India has asked Pakistan to reduce its staff strength at its High Commission here by 50 per cent within a week on grounds of their involvement in espionage activities.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday summoned the Charge d' Affaires of Pakistan to inform him of the decision and also convey India too would reciprocally reduce its own presence in Islamabad.

Why the cut

  • Two Pak officials expelled on May 22 for spying, terror links

  • In 'tit for tat', 2 Indian officials were abducted in Islamabad

  • The 2 faced barbaric treatment at Pak agencies' hands

Besides the arrest of two Pakistan officials on grounds of espionage, the MEA cited cases of intimidation of its staff in Islamabad as another reason for the decision.

The MEA told the Pakistan diplomat India had repeatedly expressed concern about its High Commission officials' activities. "They have engaged in acts of espionage and maintained dealings with terrorist organisations. The activities of the two officials caught red-handed and expelled on May 31 was one example," said a MEA statement. — TNS



from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2Ytyv7s

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