PAKISTAN: Expelled Indian diplomats leave for home

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Att.Editors: The following item is from the Qatar News Agency (QNA)

ISLAMABAD, Feb 10 2003 (IPS) - Indian charge d’affaires in Pakistan Sudhir Vyas and four other expelled Indian high commission officials left here for New Delhi Monday.

They left by road after being asked by Pakistan to leave the country in retaliation for India’s decision to expel its charge d’ affaires Jaleel Abbas Jilani along with four members of Pakistan high commission after Jilani was accused of funding separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides Vyas, Pakistan expelled Rahul Rasgotra, first secretary, and staffers M R Balu, Ranbir Singh and S R Anand.

The five were expected to cross over to India at Wagah border point in Punjab by noon.

India on Saturday ordered Jilani and the four Pakistani staffers – Habib-Ur Rahman, Aftab Ahmed, Abdul Razzak and Mohammad Nazir – to leave the country within 48 hours. Their families were given a week’s time to leave India.

India and Pakistan withdrew their high commissioners last year after the December 13, 2001 attack on Indian Parliament.