Two Indian High Commission staff in Pakistan go missing

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Two Indian High Commission staff in Pakistan go missing

Last Updated : 15 Jun 2020 01:46:51 PM IST

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Two Indian High Commission staff in Pakistan capital Islamabad went missing under mysterious circumstances early Monday and remain untraceable, sources said.

India has since taken up the matter with Pakistani authorities to ensure their safety.

"Two Central Industrial Security Force drivers had gone out for duty in a vehicle but did not reach their destination. Since then they are missing," the sources said.

"There has been no word from the Pakistan officials on the missing staff's whereabouts so far," they added.

It comes just days after India's Charge d'affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia was chased and intimidated in Islamabad by motorcycle-borne persons suspected to be from the Inter-Services Intelligence on June 4.

The harassment of Indian High Commission officials and obstruction in the discharge of their normal functioning was thereafter taken up through established diplomatic channels.

Ahluwalia and other Indian High Commission officials have been chased and harassed in Pakistan following India's expulsion of two Pakistan Embassy officials in Delhi after they were caught red-handed for espionage.

Thereafter, Pakistan has been trying a tit-for-tat action, targeting to expel Indian High Commission officials from the country for one reason or another.

Amid all this, the Indian High Commission is finding it difficult to ensure normal functioning. The Indian diplomats and consular officials are facing aggressive tailing and surveillance.

Last Friday, India registered its protest through a note verbale to Pakistan authorities and asked Islamabad to ensure the safety and security of the Indian High Commission and its staff and to allow them to resume their activities in keeping with the Vienna Convention.

India told Pakistan that the behaviour of its agencies violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 and also the bilateral 1992 Code of Conduct signed to provide diplomats immunity from hostilities in ties.

On May 31, in New Delhi, India declared two Pakistan High Commission officials as persona non grata on charges of espionage and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours.

Also Pakistan Charge de'affairs was issued a demarche in which a strong protest was lodged over the activities of these two officials against India's security.