India cash crunch sparks diplomatic row between Islamabad, New Delhi

[swnjo]

The actual problem is here:

"While the MEA said it will “look into” the complaint filed by the mission, Pakistani diplomats said the trouble faced by them is not related to demonetisation. “We are finding it difficult to perform our duties as the bank where we conduct our transactions has been refusing to let us withdraw cash. This is an unprecedented challenge as the bank is declining our legitimate requests to withdraw our own money,” said a diplomat."
It has got nothing to do with that $5000 thing as yes rule for all are same but they are being refused even any kind of withdrawal and thats happening only with Pakistani diplomats.

See this is the issue here. The OP is vague about the actual problem. is it the bank ?is it the rules? How much the diplomats want to withdraw, nothing is known.

 

[shah1398]

As I said this has nothing to do with demonetisation. This is a move taken to dry up the funds going to the stone throwers and separatists in Kashmir through Hawala channels running in your embassies in India. Hope that is clear enough.

Actually we also have the same very issues with your embassies in Pakistan as evidently more than 5 of your so called diplomats were found fomenting troubles for Pakistan. So do should we also respond in the same way? Are these diplomatic norms U are talking about?

 

[padamchen]

Actually we also have the same very issues with your embassies in Pakistan as evidently more than 5 of your so called diplomats were found fomenting troubles for Pakistan. So do should we also respond in the same way? Are these diplomatic norms U are talking about?

Who am I to tell you what you should do??

 

[gslv]

Even I have international debit cards and credit cards which I use on foreign travel to withdraw. Why can't Pakistani diplomats use that.

 

[shah1398]

See this is the issue here. The OP is vague about the actual problem. is it the bank ?is it the rules? How much the diplomats want to withdraw, nothing is known.

The article has been copied from Indian Paper "The Hindu" and thre is no mention of $5000 issue. here is the actual article from "The Hindu":

Pak. diplomats feel the heat of cash crunch
Kallol Bhattacherjee
NEW DELHI: DECEMBER 03, 2016 00:56 IST
UPDATED: DECEMBER 03, 2016 01:29 IST

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  Pak. mission sends a note verbale on the issue
  As the country grapples with demonetisation, Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi have their own, unique problem.
  
  Their bankers have reportedly refused to encash dollar cheques, which has led to the Pakistani mission lodging a formal protest with the Ministry of External Affairs.
  
  A senior Pakistan official said that Islamabad would be forced to take similar steps against the Indian mission in Islamabad, unless remedial measures are taken to help Pakistani diplomats posted in Delhi. An MEA official told The Hindu that the government will “look into” the complaint.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “We are finding it difficult to perform our duties as the bank where we conduct our transactions has been refusing to let us withdraw cash. This is an unprecedented challenge as the bank is declining our legitimate requests to withdraw our own money,” said the Pakistan diplomat.
  
  “We have sent a note verbale [note of protest] regarding the issue and hope that MEA will not force us take a similar step against the Indian mission,” the diplomat added.
  
  The Hindu had reported earlier about the hardships faced by the diplomatic missions following the demonetisation drive announced on November 8.
  
  Diplomatic missions have been facing the brunt of cash crunch as non-availability of Indian currency is preventing them from executing vital duties.
  
  However, the Pakistani diplomat clarified that the trouble faced by the Pakistan diplomats was not related to demonetisation.
  
  ‘Denying us money’
  
  “The concerned bank [in South Delhi] has been denying to issue us money from our own account saying that it can’t let us withdraw cash, which is an addition to the hardships we are facing because of the demonetisation,” said the Pakistan official.
  
  Responding to the issue, an official of the Ministry of External Affairs acknowledged the receipt of note verbale from the Pakistan High Commission and said, “We have discussed the issue and will look into the complaint of the Pakistan High Commission.”
  
  The official said that the Pakistani diplomats remain entitled to their salaries and the problem was likely to be resolved.
  
  Diplomats have borne the brunt of the downturn in bilateral ties between India and Pakistan. In the last week of October, India expelled a Pakistan diplomat charging him of espionage.
  
  This triggered a series of tit-for-tat expulsions.
  

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...l-the-heat-of-cash-crunch/article16751862.ece

Hope it clarifies the problem now.

 

[Devil Soul]

As I said this has nothing to do with demonetisation. This is a move taken to dry up the funds going to the stone throwers and separatists in Kashmir through Hawala channels running in your embassies in India. Hope that is clear enough. @third eye and I alluded to the same earlier, but I guess you guys were so busy with man-gorilla sexuality that you did not get the hint.

How many embassies do we have in india?????

 

[shah1398]

Who am I to tell you what you should do??

But U can tell your Govt to plz atleast abide by diplomatic norms and if U find that someone in Pakistani mission is involved in something thats against interests India then just expel him as per diplomatic norms rather than fomenting trouble for whole mission and thats what actually we are doing.

 

[padamchen]

How many embassies do we have in india?????

Semantics v Sentiments.

But U can tell your Govt to plz atleast abide by diplomatic norms and if U find that someone in Pakistani mission is involved in something thats against interests India then just expel him as per diplomatic norms rather than fomenting trouble for whole mission and thats what actually we are doing.

Who am I to tell our government what to do? I only get to vote for them once in 5 years. Rest of the time they do not listen to me.

 

[shah1398]

Who am I to tell our government what to do? I only get to vote for them once in 5 years. Rest of the time they do not listen to me.

Come on man. Then atleast U can approve our side of story as what we have presented with proof. We seriously do not want to indulge in such spats as U know mainly people from both sides will suffer as they would be denied/delayed visas.

 

[padamchen]

Come on man. Then atleast U can approve our side of story as what we have presented with proof. We seriously do not want to indulge in such spats as U know mainly people from both sides will suffer as they would be denied/delayed visas.

Since you are being serious, let me return the favor.

I genuinely believe your guys are abusing their position and diplomatic privileges to foment trouble in Kashmir from and on our soil.

We cannot expel everyone. That would eventually mean closing down your mission. Which is usually a precursor to war.

 

[Devil Soul]

Semantics v Sentiments.

May ur baghwan help u ....

 

[shah1398]

Since you are being serious, let me return the favor.

I genuinely believe your guys are abusing their position to foment trouble in Kashmir from and on our soil.

Just to enlighten U that Pakistani mission in India is under surveillance 24/7. Even if one guy enters or leaves Pakistani embassy, he/she is thoroughly checked/followed by. But still if U beleive then it means U have proofs, so its should not be hard for U to expel such entities in Pakistani mission in India. That might even include cutting off diplomatic ties with Pakistan if whole Pakistani mission is involved in anti India activities. How about that?

 

[padamchen]

Just to enlighten U that Pakistani mission in India is under surveillance 24/7. Even if one guy enters or leaves Pakistani embassy, he/she is thoroughly checked/followed by. But still if U beleive then it means U have proofs, so its should not be hard for U to expel such entities in Pakistani mission in India. That might even include cutting off diplomatic ties with Pakistan if whole Pakistani mission is involved in anti India activities. How about that?

I believe the additions to my post above have already preempted yours.

 

[swnjo]

The article has been copied from Indian Paper "The Hindu" and thre is no mention of $5000 issue. here is the actual article from "The Hindu":

Pak. diplomats feel the heat of cash crunch
Kallol Bhattacherjee
NEW DELHI: DECEMBER 03, 2016 00:56 IST
UPDATED: DECEMBER 03, 2016 01:29 IST

• 
  SHARE ARTICLE
• 2
• Tata realty - 1 BHK Property @Purva Windermere. Ready To Move, Starts @31.66 Lacspurvawindermere-chennai.co.in/
  Ads by Google
  
  Pak. mission sends a note verbale on the issue
  As the country grapples with demonetisation, Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi have their own, unique problem.
  
  Their bankers have reportedly refused to encash dollar cheques, which has led to the Pakistani mission lodging a formal protest with the Ministry of External Affairs.
  
  A senior Pakistan official said that Islamabad would be forced to take similar steps against the Indian mission in Islamabad, unless remedial measures are taken to help Pakistani diplomats posted in Delhi. An MEA official told The Hindu that the government will “look into” the complaint.
  
  View attachment 357973
  
  
  
  “We are finding it difficult to perform our duties as the bank where we conduct our transactions has been refusing to let us withdraw cash. This is an unprecedented challenge as the bank is declining our legitimate requests to withdraw our own money,” said the Pakistan diplomat.
  
  “We have sent a note verbale [note of protest] regarding the issue and hope that MEA will not force us take a similar step against the Indian mission,” the diplomat added.
  
  The Hindu had reported earlier about the hardships faced by the diplomatic missions following the demonetisation drive announced on November 8.
  
  Diplomatic missions have been facing the brunt of cash crunch as non-availability of Indian currency is preventing them from executing vital duties.
  
  However, the Pakistani diplomat clarified that the trouble faced by the Pakistan diplomats was not related to demonetisation.
  
  ‘Denying us money’
  
  “The concerned bank [in South Delhi] has been denying to issue us money from our own account saying that it can’t let us withdraw cash, which is an addition to the hardships we are facing because of the demonetisation,” said the Pakistan official.
  
  Responding to the issue, an official of the Ministry of External Affairs acknowledged the receipt of note verbale from the Pakistan High Commission and said, “We have discussed the issue and will look into the complaint of the Pakistan High Commission.”
  
  The official said that the Pakistani diplomats remain entitled to their salaries and the problem was likely to be resolved.
  
  Diplomats have borne the brunt of the downturn in bilateral ties between India and Pakistan. In the last week of October, India expelled a Pakistan diplomat charging him of espionage.
  
  This triggered a series of tit-for-tat expulsions.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...l-the-heat-of-cash-crunch/article16751862.ece

Hope it clarifies the problem now.

The issue is something else than what has been reported in Hindu. The scroll says something else all together.

The Pakistani High Commission has lodged a formal protest with the Ministry of External Affairs against Indian banks for refusing to cash salaried dollar cheques, The Hindu reported on Saturday. While employees of the High Commission are paid in dollars, Indian banks have imposed additional conditions on the withdrawal of salaries because of the rise in demand for dollars caused by the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

A senior Pakistani diplomat said the commission was “finding it difficult” to perform its duties because the bank is refusing to let them withdraw cash. “This is an unprecedented challenge as the bank is declining our legitimate requests to withdraw our own money,” the diplomat said. Islamabad will be forced to take similar steps against Indian diplomats posted in Pakistan unless measures are taken to help the High Commission’s employees, an official said.

The bank, which handles the accounts of the High Commission’s staff, has asked diplomats to present “letters of purpose” to withdraw dollar amounts. It has also given them the option of withdrawing their salaries in Indian currency or remitting their money back to Pakistan. However, the High Commission has told Indian authorities that it has found all three options to be unacceptable.

The Ministry of External Affairs said it would “look into” Pakistan’s complaint, adding that it was in talks with the “relevant agencies” to solve the problem, The Economic Times reported. This comes at a time when relations between Islamabad and New Delhi have already deteriorated since the Uri attack and the surgical strikes on “terror launchpads” carried out along the Line of Control by the Indian Army. India has called on Pakistan to “stop cross-border terrorism” to facilitate negotiations between the two countries.


http://scroll.in/latest/823194/demo...igh-commission-lodges-protest-on-staffers-pay



And now it has been solved....


India on Sunday said Pakistan High Commission's concern over withdrawal of salaries by a bank had nothing to do with the government as it was an issue between the High Commission and the banking entity.
At the same time, official sources said that the matter has been resolved.
"As far as we understand, the matter was between Pakistan High Commission and a private banking entity. It had nothing to do with the government and has been resolved," official sources said.
Pakistan had lodged a protest with India over its diplomats in the High Commission in New Delhi allegedly not being allowed to withdraw their salaries, which is paid in US dollars, by the bank.
Asserting that not allowing its officials to withdraw their salaries was in breach of the Vienna Protocol, Pakistan had threatened that in case the matter was not resolved soon, it may consider retaliatory action against salary disbursal for Indian diplomats.
The RBL Bank, an Indian private bank, holds the salary account of the Pakistan High Commission staff.
"We are not allowed to withdraw our own salary. It is not a demonetisation issue. It appears that it is done more at the instructions of the Indian government," a senior Pakistan High Commission official had said.
Diplomats can draw their tax free salaries in dollars and only have to give reason for the withdrawal beyond $5,000.
According to Pakistan High Commission officials, they are not being allowed to withdraw their salaries and have been asked for 'letters of purpose' for withdrawal of any dollar amount. Incidentally, demonetisation has led to a sharp spike in the demand for dollars and other foreign currency, making it scarce.
http://www.business-standard.com/ar...s-salary-issue-says-india-116120400155_1.html

 

[NirmalKrish]

I'm being honest when I say I take no joy in your pain. Pakistan is a victim of terrorism so it is inhumane to indulge in schadenfreude. Look at my argument, objectively, for an instance:

Modi is diverting attention to Pakistan so he can hide failures of his demonetization policy and the security failures of his administration.​

To me, this is the core reason why Modi is taking punitive measures against Pakistan. You are welcome to disagree with me but I provided non-Pakistani media links to be factual and avoid allegations of bias. If this comes across as "concerned or obsessed" then I can assure you I did it in order to be fair.

As for my remark that this is a Pakistani forum and the news is related to Pakistani High Commission, I don't want any Indian, or anyone else, to feel unwelcome here so I'm saying please stick around, we are good hosts. This is not a message to exclude you, or anyone else, from this community.

I hope you have a better rest of the day, Nirmal.

I thanked your post even though I disagree with it 100%, the civility and maturity is to commended. Why can't all of your brethren agure in the same fashion?

In order to acknowledge the demonetisation issue, this short term pain, long term gain. It always takes time to establish things, but if implemented correctly it will show results quiet rapidly on a exponential scale (time v $ back in the economy).