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Pak ‘expels’ 2 Indian scribes, Delhi fumes
PTI & TNS

Islamabad/New Delhi, May 14
Pakistan has expelled two Indian journalists posted in Islamabad and asked them to leave within seven days without assigning any reason.

Press Trust of India’s (PTI) Snehesh Alex Philip and The Hindu’s Meena Menon received letters late last night from Pakistan government’s external publicity wing informing them that an unnamed “competent authority” had decided against any extension of their visas. They both have been reportedly told to leave Pakistan by May 20.

India denounced Pakistan’s decision to expel the two journalists, describing it as a retrograde step especially considering the fact that free flow of information between the two countries has long been recognised as an important confidence-building measure.

“It is regrettable and unfortunate that the two Indian correspondents in Pakistan have been asked to leave prematurely and suddenly only a few months after their arrival there,’’ MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. It is learnt that New Delhi could take up the matter with Islamabad through proper channels in the coming days. The journalists have been in Pakistan since August. Their visas were valid till March and after that, they were reportedly issued letters informing that their application for renewal was being processed.

Sources said the Indian High Commission in Pakistan or the External Affairs Ministry had not been informed by Islamabad why the visas of the two journalists were not being extended.

There was speculation that Pakistan’s ISI could have played some role in Islamabad’s decision to ask the two Indian mediapersons to leave the country.

However, there are reports that Pakistan has been upset with India for refusing to give visas at the last minute to 500 Pakistani pilgrims who wanted to visit Ajmer to offer prayers at the ‘dargah’ of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Islamabad was also peeved with India for not reciprocating Islamabad’s gesture last month when it released some Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds.