Amid escalating tensions between the two countries, Pakistan has called back its high commissioner stationed in India.
The move has come days after India took back the status of ‘Most Favoured Nation’ from Pakistan and banned Pakistan Super League (PSL) coverage in the country.
While the government’s stance is that the High Commissioner was called for consultations following diplomatic tensions – sources suggest that security reasons compelled Pakistan to take this action.
The development was made public on Monday morning. The spokesperson of the Foreign Office Dr. Mohammad Faisal tweeted that the High Commissioner has left New Delhi this morning.
“We have called back our High Commissioner in India for consultations,” he said.
We have called back our HIgh Commissioner in India for consultations.
He left New Delhi this morning .— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) February 18, 2019
The Indian government and media have been fanning the anti-Pakistan rhetoric since the Pulwama attack which claimed lives of 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers in a suicide bombing that targeted their convoy in Occupied Kashmir last week.
Hours after the tragic incident, New Delhi began to blame Pakistan for the attack – sans providing any evidence.
Islamabad, on the other hand, maintains that the baseless Indian ‘knee-jerk reaction’ was counterproductive and a threat to regional peace.
Meanwhile, India has also slapped a 200 percent import duty on Pakistani goods besides banning exports to the neighboring country – a clear gesture of the closure of the peace process.
The situation has also cast clouds over the Kartarpur border opening – Prime Minister Imran Khan’s move which bought the masses of the two countries close again.
