Pakistan declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad persona non grata on Wednesday, ordering the official’s expulsion within 24 hours. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) cited the diplomat’s engagement in activities deemed inconsistent with his privileged status and in violation of diplomatic norms.

The Indian Chargé d’Affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office to receive this notification. Pakistani officials emphasized the expectation that all Indian diplomatic personnel must strictly adhere to their roles and avoid any misuse of their privileges.

This action follows a similar move by India earlier today, which declared a Pakistani High Commission official in New Delhi persona non grata. The tit-for-tat expulsions come amid heightened tensions between the two countries, sparked by an attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)’s Pahalgam area that killed 26 people. The escalation included India suspending a water-sharing treaty, closing the main border crossing, declaring several Pakistani diplomats persona non grata, and revoking Pakistani visas.

Pakistan responded with reciprocal measures, including the expulsion of Indian diplomats and the closure of the border crossing from its side. The situation further escalated with an unprovoked Indian attack targeting civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of over 50 Pakistanis. This led to Pakistan’s large-scale retaliatory military action, “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos,” targeting Indian military installations.