Diplomatic Fallout: Pakistan Responds to India’s Espionage Accusations
India-Pakistan Tensions Flare Up Again
Expulsions Follow Espionage Allegations
Relations between India and Pakistan have once again taken a sharp turn for the worse. Pakistan announced on Thursday, May 22, 2025, that it was expelling a staffer from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. This move comes in direct response to India’s expulsion of a Pakistani official from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi just a day earlier.
Espionage Accusations Fuel the Conflict
India accused the Pakistani official of espionage, marking the second such expulsion in less than a week. The Indian government stated that the staffer had been declared ‘persona non grata’ – a diplomatic term signifying that a foreign national is unwelcome in a country – for activities deemed incompatible with his official status. He has been given 24 hours to leave India.
Pakistan’s Retaliatory Action
Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a statement condemning India’s actions and stating that they had declared an Indian staffer at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as ‘persona non grata.’ This official has also been ordered to leave Pakistan within 24 hours.
The Foreign Office stressed that all diplomats and staff at the Indian High Commission should refrain from abusing their privileges and status.
Escalating Tensions and the Pahalgam Attack
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been high since the Pahalgam attack in which 26 people lost their lives. This latest diplomatic standoff further underscores the deep-seated mistrust and hostility between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
