New Delhi, January 21
India said today that the “unprecedented and unacceptable” harassment of the Indian Charge d’ Affaires (CDA) in Pakistan, Mr Sudhir Vyas, exhibited Islamabad’s mindset which in turn arose from its cross-border terrorism against New Delhi.
Asked if there was any connection between Pakistani Foreign Minister’s recent speech at the United Nations and the Sudhir Vyas episode, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Navtej Sarna said at his briefing that all such statements and acts of Pakistan arose from its “mindset”.
Mr Sarna said it was indeed a pity that Pakistan did not have the courtesy to observe even common diplomatic courtesies.
Asked if in the light of yesterday’s harassment of Mr Vyas in Islamabad there were any moves to temporarily recall the CDA, Mr Sarna said: “I am not aware of any such moves but if there is something like that, I will get back to you.”
The spokesman vehemently denied Pakistan’s allegations that its High Commission staffers in New Delhi had been subjected to similar maltreatment by India. He also dismissed another accusation of the Pakistan Foreign Office that on January 7, the Pakistan High Commission had lodged a formal protest with the MEA, charging that the operatives of Indian intelligence agencies chased and harassed Pakistan’s acting High Commissioner here, Mr Jalil Abbas Jilani. “The alleged incident has been investigated and there is no truth in the matter,” Mr Sarna said.
