In light of repeated incidents of harassment of Pakistani diplomats at the hands of Indian authorities in the Indian capital, Islamabad has called back Pakistan's High Commissioner to New Delhi "for consultations", Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said at a weekly press briefing on Thursday.

Incidents of harassment of Pakistani diplomats and their families that are posted in India have emerged recently, with unidentified people chasing and clocking a car carrying the children of a counsellor just this week. The children were allegedly filmed and photographed for 40 minutes, leaving them traumatised.

Details here: FO lodges protest over harassment of Pakistani diplomats, families in Delhi

The FO on Tuesday had summoned a senior Indian diplomat to protest the continued harassment, accusing Indian authorities of complicity as, despite providing evidence of such incidents to India's Foreign Ministry, "no positive action" had been taken as yet.

Dr Faisal during today's briefing said that deliberate maltreatment of diplomats and their families by India is not confined to single event and continues unabated despite Pakistan's protest, Radio Pakistan reported.

He insisted that Pakistan would go to 'any lengths' to ensure the safety of its diplomats posted abroad. "The security of our diplomats is paramount, and Pakistan will take every step in this regard," he said.

The FO spokesperson also warned India against "political point-scoring" through playing "the Pakistan card in its domestic politics."

Dr Faisal claimed that political parties in Pakistan did not use anti-India sentiment during their election campaigns and urged Indian politicians to follow suit. Although the general election in India is due early next year, political parties and players are already forming alliances and strategies in the run-up to 2019.

Hardline Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a member of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party, who was elected in 2014 has the highest personal approval ratings currently, according to the Times of India, with nearly 90 per cent of Indians holding a favourable opinion of him.

However, analysts have warned that the snatching away of a handful of seats from the BJP ─ which currently rules 21 of India's 29 states ─ by opposition parties in by-polls last year, may be an indication that anti-incumbency may factor into the next Indian general election.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.