India seeks 50% reduction of staff in Pakistan High Commission

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA ) on Tuesday stated India will be reducing staff in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by 50 percent.

It will also reciprocate by cutting down its staff from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

This decision has been considered due to the ongoing strained diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan.

The process of reducing the staff will be implemented within seven days, the ministry added.

Summoning Pakistan's Charge d' Affaires Syed Haidar Shah, MEA has expressed concerns time to time regarding the activities of the officials under the charge of Shah. According to MEA representatives, the staff at the Pakistan High Commission has been "engaged in acts of espionage and maintained dealings with terrorist organizations".

"The behaviour of Pakistan and its officials is not in conformity with the Vienna Convention and bilateral agreements on the treatment of diplomatic and consular officials. On the contrary, it is an intrinsic element of a larger policy of supporting cross-border violence and terrorism," the MEA officials added.

The ministry also reminded the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi about their officials who were caught red-handed spying and expelled on May 31 this year. Earlier this month two Indian High Commission officers were held and harassed in Islamabad including charge d'affaires, Gaurav Ahluwalia.