Pak Diplomat Declared Persona Non Grata, Told to Leave in 24 Hrs

In a sharp escalation of its diplomatic offensive against Islamabad, India on Tuesday expelled a Pakistani diplomat stationed at the High Commission in New Delhi, declaring him persona non grata for engaging in activities “not in keeping with his official status.” The diplomat has been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours.

The move underscores growing hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead, and India’s subsequent military retaliation under Operation Sindoor.

Declaring a foreign official persona non grata is the gravest censure a host nation can exercise under international diplomatic norms. As per Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), a diplomat may be expelled without justification and immediately loses all privileges and immunity. While often invoked in cases of espionage or subversive conduct, the expulsion can also serve as a stern symbolic message.

India’s decision comes as it reasserts its uncompromising stance on Jammu and Kashmir. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at a press briefing, “The outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied territory by Pakistan.” He reiterated that India will not entertain any form of third-party mediation on Kashmir, dismissing recent suggestions from Washington.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first address to the nation since Operation Sindoor, reinforced the message with unequivocal clarity. “Terror and talks can’t go together… terror and trade can’t happen together… terror and water can’t flow together,” he declared, further hinting at India’s continued suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Reports suggest Pakistan has been lobbying for its restoration as a condition for ceasefire talks.

The diplomatic strain has also been intensified by renewed overtures from U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed on social media that American intervention helped avert a nuclear conflict and offered once again to mediate on Kashmir. India has flatly rejected this claim, affirming it neither requested nor requires third-party involvement.

“Our military action was entirely conventional,” Jaiswal said, while noting that Pakistan’s own foreign minister has denied any nuclear dimension to the conflict. The Ministry further clarified that conversations with the U.S. during the military standoff did not touch upon trade or mediation, and were purely diplomatic in nature.

With its latest expulsion and diplomatic statements, New Delhi has signaled that its future engagements with Islamabad will be conditional upon verifiable dismantling of terror infrastructure and a complete halt to cross-border attacks.