The Ministry of External Affairs recently alleged that the country’s diplomats were facing harassment and were being prevented from discharging their duties in Islamabad.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “Indian High Commission in Pakistan is facing many issues. We've reached out through established diplomatic channels to Islamabad. We want that our Commission in Islamabad functions smoothly, the officials are not harassed, their work is not obstructed and that the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, 1961 is abided by.”
However, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry claimed that the staff and their families have been facing “harassment, intimidation and outright violence” from Indian state agencies.
While Pakistan recently issued a demarche to India stating that it was becoming difficult for its diplomats to function in Delhi it had been reported that the present round of hostility was initiated by an ISI raid on a residential complex under construction for Indian diplomats in Islamabad. The ISI is Pakistan's spy agency.
It had been reported that a group of 7-8 men raided the residential complex last month and disconnected the electricity and water supply to the property which is owned by India. Indian high commissioner in Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, met the Pakistan foreign secretary on February 16 to protest such “multiple acts of hooliganism” against Indian staff and property.
Indian diplomats have also repeatedly complained about having to deal with unauthorised entry into their premises and also random interception of their cars.
