India has made strong allegations that its diplomats based in Pakistan were being harassed by Pakistani agencies in the aftermath of the air strikes launched by Pakistan against Indian military targets in February. It has demanded strong intervention from the Pakistani government.
Citing thirteen instances of harassment, India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan and issued a note verbale demanding an immediate investigation into the matter.
"Note Verbale to Pakistan Foreign Office has been issued on 13 March over the harassment of diplomats by Pakistani intelligence agencies between 8 to 11 March 2019", Indian Ministry of External Affairs sources told Sputnik.
#Breaking
— Geeta Mohan گیتا موہن गीता मोहन (@Geeta_Mohan) March 18, 2019
India issues #NoteVerbale to Pakistan over harassment of Indian diplomats!
India issued a NV to Pak Foreign Ministry on Mar 13 for harassment by Pak agencies b/w Mar 8-11. @IndiaToday @MEAIndia @ForeignOfficePk @IndiainPakistan @Ajaybis @SMQureshiPTI @SushmaSwaraj
Since the day of Pakistani air strikes on 27 February its intelligence agencies have put Indian diplomats under aggressive surveillance, sources revealed.
India has alleged that its prominent diplomats like a first secretary, naval advisor, deputy high commissioner, military advisor and such were being aggressively stalked in an overt and intimidating manner by Pakistan intelligence agencies.
It alleged that some of its diplomat corps had been receiving hoax phone calls. It added that it's High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia's car was being stalked continuously by two people believed to be from Pakistani government agencies, even as his residence was put under overt surveillance on 9-10 March.
In the note verbale, India has sought an urgent investigation into the matter. It held that such cases of harassment of diplomats were violations of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and that the safety and security of Indian High Commission officials and their families were the responsibility of the Pakistani government.
There is a cross-border tiff currently underway between the two nuclear-armed states since the February 14 Pulwama terror attack claimed by a Pakistan-based jihadi outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. The tensions escalated to a point where the two nations engaged in a show of air power, transgressing into each other's airspace. Cross-border firing and shelling of artillery are still going on unabated, according to media reports.
