The Indian government has decided to withdraw 55 of its officials working at the Indian High Commission of Islamabad. The decision has been mutually agreed between both countries to reduce the strength of working staff by 50%. Pakistan will also be withdrawing staff from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi with the same proportion.
India also announced on Tuesday that the strength of Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi will also be reduced to half along with the ongoing process in Islamabad in order to downgrade the diplomatic relations with Pakistan.
The proposal to cut down the employee strength in the Indian Mission came after horrifying details of the torture of Indian diplomats in Pakistan came to light on June 16.
The decision also came on the heels of the mistreatment meted out to the Indian diplomats in Pakistan, who were abducted by Pakistani security agencies before being tortured and framed in a false case of a road accident and possession of fake currency.
In another incident, Pakistani diplomats working in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi were caught on the charges of espionage by India.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’ Affaires Syed Haider Shah and informed him about India’s concerns regarding the activities of officials of his mission, who have been involved in espionage and associated with terror outfits.
Pakistani agencies captured and tortured Indian high comission staffers in Islamabad
The two Indian High Commission staffers, who were abducted by Pakistan’s ISI and were later released on Monday, were tortured to confess that ‘they were involved in an accident’. As per sources, the two Indian staffers of the High commission working as drivers were picked up by 15-16 armed men at around 8:30-45 am from a fuel station near the high commission.
The ISI officers had blindfolded the two Indian staffers with a rucksack and took them to an unknown location. It was further reported that the abductors made multiple videos in which Indian High Commission officials were forced to confess under coercion that they were involved in an accident.
Armed Pakistani men also forced them to confess that there are “Intelligence officials” inside the Indian High Commission who order them to bring people from outside in their cars for a meet inside the High Commission. The Indian diplomatic officials were repeatedly beaten with rods/wooden sticks, punched and made to drink filthy water.
