NEW DELHI -  Demonetisation has added further strain in Indo-Pak ties. Pakistan High Commission has given a note verbale, known as an informal protest in diplomatic parlance, as its staffers were facing difficulties in withdrawing salaries in dollars from the banks.

Sources in the Pakistan Embassy told The New Indian Express that the diplomats and staffers posted in the High Commission were asked to produce documents to support the need for the withdrawal of money.

“We have not been asking for anything unusual. The bank not only asked us to produce documents they also refused to give me more than $1,000,” one of the officials said. The salary accounts of the Pakistan High Commission staff are in RBL Bank, an Indian private bank.

As per norms, diplomats can withdraw up to $5000 without giving any reasons.

Pakistan has alleged that the development has nothing to do with demonetisation as missions of other countries are not facing such problems. The High Commission has called this a breach of Vienna Protocol and considering the trajectory of the ties between the two countries, this could have retaliatory repercussions for Indian Embassy staffers in Islamabad. Already both the countries have pulled out several staffers after their identities were revealed in a series of spying allegations and counter-allegations.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has refused to comment on the issue officially.