Pakistan on Tuesday declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad "persona non grata," citing activities it described as "incompatible with his privileged status."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan issued a formal statement directing the concerned Indian official to leave the country within 24 hours. This decision was communicated to the Indian Charge d’Affaires, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry for a démarche, a formal diplomatic protest.

This expulsion comes as a direct response to India's earlier move, in which a Pakistani official at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was declared persona non grata and similarly ordered to leave India within 24 hours.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs accused the Pakistani diplomat of engaging in activities not consistent with his official status, a diplomatic euphemism often used in cases of alleged espionage or actions deemed hostile to the host country.

The tit-for-tat expulsions have unfolded against the backdrop of heightened military and diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The latest escalation follows a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which killed 26 people.

India blamed Pakistan-based terror groups for the attack and responded with Operation Sindoor, a series of strikes targeting alleged terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. These events have reignited hostilities, with both sides engaging in cross-border shelling and drone activity despite a brief ceasefire agreement.

Declaring a diplomat persona non grata is the strongest form of censure under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. It strips the official of diplomatic immunity and requires their departure from the host country, typically within a short timeframe. Such measures are often taken in cases of suspected espionage or as a demonstration of severe diplomatic displeasure.

The current crisis is part of a longstanding pattern of confrontations between India and Pakistan, particularly over issues related to Kashmir and cross-border terrorism. Both nations have hardened their stances, with India reiterating its position that talks cannot proceed alongside terrorism and rejecting third-party mediation, while Pakistan has responded with reciprocal diplomatic and trade measures.

PTI