– Special Correspondent
New Delhi: India for the second day summoned Pakistan Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission Syed Haider Shah for the second time in two days over “abduction and torture of Indian High Commission Officials” but maintained such continued unilateral actions by Islamabad will not succeed in diverting attention from the core issue of its role in cross-border terrorism against India.
“….continued unilateral actions by Pakistan, aimed at escalating tensions, will not succeed in diverting attention from the core issue of Pakistan’s continued hostile activities and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism against India,” an MEA statement said here.
Shah was summoned on Tuesday – a day after he was summoned similarly on Monday over the issue of Indian officials posted in Islamabad – and a strong protest was lodged on the issue of the “abduction and torture” of two officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad by Pakistan security agencies.
Two officials of the Indian High Commission were forcibly abducted by Pakistani agencies on June 15, 2020, and kept in “illegal custody” for more than 10 hours.
They were released only after “strong intervention” by the High Commission of India in Islamabad and the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi. The two Indian officials were subjected to interrogation, torture and physical assault resulting in grievous injuries to them.
“They were video-graphed and coerced to accept a litany of fictitious allegations and concocted charges. The vehicle of the High Commission, in which they were travelling, was extensively damaged.”
The statement further said, “The Government of India strongly condemns and deplores the action of the Pakistani authorities in this regard. This premeditated, grave and provocative action on the part of the Pakistani authorities, preceded by intensified surveillance, harassment and intimidation of High Commission personnel over the past several days, was designed to obstruct and disrupt the normal functioning of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad”.
The attempt by Pakistani authorities to levy false accusations and concocted charges on the officials of the High Commission is rejected in entirety.
These actions by Pakistan not only constitute an “egregious violation” of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 as also the ‘Code of Conduct for treatment of Diplomatic / Consular personnel in India and Pakistan signed in 1992 and reaffirmed by both sides in March 2018.
These were also against all established norms and practices of diplomatic conduct.
“Our grave concerns at the fact that the Pakistan agencies threatened to physically harm more officials of the Indian Mission have been shared. It has been highlighted that Pakistan is responsible for the safety and security of the Indian High Commission, its officials, staff members, their families and properties,” the statement alleged.
On Monday, sources revealed concerns over the ‘missing’ of two Indian officials in Pakistan; New Delhi had asked Islamabad to ensure “return” of the two officials along with the official car to the High Commission immediately.
Sources said Pakistan Charge D’affaires Shah was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and demarche issued on the “reported arrest of two officials” of the High Commission of India in Islamabad.
On May 31, India had expelled two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi on the charge of spying.
