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Indo-Pak diplomatic tensions resurface

February 19, 2003 19:27 IST

Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan on Wednesday resurfaced with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad lodging two protests in a day objecting to the 'aggressive tailing and harassment' of its defence attache Brigadier R K Karwal by Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Acting Charge d'Affaires Vikram Misri said the high commission has sent two 'note verbales' to the Pakistan foreign office protesting against the harassment.

Today's protest notes were in addition to the one sent on February 13 complaining of Brig Karwal being subjected to
aggressive surveillance, similar to the one experienced by former charge d'affaires Sudhir Vyas two weeks ago before his expulsion along with four other staffers of the mission.

The protests came just a day after the two countries cleared the visas of diplomats to enable them take up assignments as deputy high commissioners in their respective missions at New Delhi and Islamabad.

Misri said that Brig Karwal was being followed very closely in an 'intimidating fashion' during the past few weeks.

Today, his vehicle was blocked several times by vehicles of intelligence agencies that followed him while he was returning from a money changer's shop in the busy Blue area.

The Brigadier was also followed in an intimidating fashion even when he went out for walks with his family, Misri said.

On Tuesday night, Pakistan's official media carried reports that staffers attached to the defence wing of the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi were being harassed by Indian intelligence agencies.

"India has virtually paralysed the movement of the Pakistan high commission's staff in New Delhi, especially the personnel of the defence wing," a report by PTV and the official APP news agency said.

It said Indian intelligence agencies were 'chasing, harassing and intimidating' the staff members of the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi.

 

K J M Varma in Islamabad
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