New Delhi/Islamabad: In a major escalation of diplomatic hostilities with India after New Delhi’s bold move on Kashmir, Pakistan announced on Wednesday that it would “downgrade diplomatic relations with India”, with Islamabad asking New Delhi to “withdraw” Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria.
Sources said, “Mr Bisaria has been expelled by Pakistan.” The Pakistan government officially said on Wednesday, “Pursuant to the decision of the National Security Commi-ttee today, the Government of India has been told to withdraw its High Commissioner to Pakistan. The Indian Government has also been informed that Pakistan will not be sending its High Commissioner-designate to India.”
In a highly provocative move, Islamabad also decided to observe India’s Independence Day (August 15) as a “black day”. There are indications that New Delhi will squarely face the move and not give in to any blackmailing by Islamabad.
In another equally provocative diatribe, the Pakistan Prime Minister “directed that all diplomatic channels be activated to expose the brutal Indian racist regime, design and human rights violations”.
The move comes after the Indian Parliament decided to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories — J&K and Ladakh — besides revoking Article 370 of the Constitution that effectively ended the special status of J&K. While diplomats, and ambasadors, have been recalled before in the turbulent history of India-Pakistan diplomatic ties that saw at least two full-scale wars being fought by the two neighbours in 1965 and 1971, the latest Pakistani move presents yet another serious challenge to diplomacy.
There are also indications that the trade through the Wagah-Attari border will be hit too and the export of commodities and products like onion, cement, graphite etc is likely to be immediately stopped. There was also speculation that a furious Islamabad could completely seal the Attar-Wagah border.
