The entire world is aware of the Indo-Pak relations that have gone from love-hate to hate-hate in the recent past but as per the latest reports, the situation seems to have worsened beyond repair. It’s not just the armed war at the LoC but even the diplomats have started “harassing” each other. The situation has got to such a point that both India and Pakistan have threatened to withdraw their diplomats from New Delhi and Islamabad, respectively.
The issue was reported to the Foreign Secretary of India Vijay Keshav Gokhale by Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria and his Pakistani counterpart Sohail Mohammed. As per the reports, multiples acts of hooliganism against Indian personnel and properties were registered. India’s residential complex was illegally raided and power, as well as, the water supply was also cut off for more than two weeks.
On the other hand, Pakistan has lodged four harassment charges known as “note verbale” with the Ministry of External Affairs, reporting incidents of harassment and intimidation of Pakistani diplomats. In one of the recent episodes, narrated by the Pakistan High Commission, two cars carrying children of Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner were followed and obstructed, while the driver was threatened.
Several other incidents have been reported by both India and Pakistan whereby the diplomats were harassed and their privacy was invaded. Talking about Indian diplomats, they received obscene phone calls and messages and the Pakistani personnel have also been making a video with their phones. Besides, Pakistan denied Visa to many Indian companies involved in the construction work of an Indian project in Islamabad.
In the last one year, there has been a steady rise in the number of attacks on the LOC following the ceasefire violations. And now these instances of harassment have further complicated everything. Hopefully, the issue will be resorted to mature discussions but until then the matter poses a big threat to establishing peace between the two countries.
