India has declared a Pakistani official posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours. This action, announced on May 21, 2025, follows the official’s involvement in activities deemed inconsistent with his diplomatic status. 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a demarche to the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission, emphasizing that Pakistani diplomats and officials must not misuse their privileges or status in India.

The expulsion is a formal diplomatic measure and does not require India to provide a specific reason, serving as the strongest expression of disapproval against a foreign representative.

This is the second such expulsion in less than a month; another Pakistani official was declared persona non grata on May 13 for similar reasons. The recent expulsions are set against a backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives.

In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terror launchpads and key military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

The operation inflicted significant damage on Pakistan’s military infrastructure and was followed by retaliatory drone incursions from Pakistan, which were intercepted by Indian air defences. Eventually, both countries agreed to pause military escalation after high-level military talks.

The diplomatic fallout has led to tit-for-tat actions, with Pakistan also expelling an Indian High Commission official in Islamabad, mirroring India’s move. These developments reflect the ongoing deterioration of bilateral relations and underline the sensitive security environment in the region.

India’s declaration of the Pakistani official as persona non grata is part of a broader pattern of diplomatic and security measures taken in response to recent cross-border terrorism and espionage concerns, further straining already tense India-Pakistan relations.

Based On ANI Report