India to expel Pakistan embassy staffer for 'espionage'
By
News Desk
Published: October 27, 2016
India will expel a Pakistani high commission staff member for “espionage activities”, a foreign ministry official said Thursday, as local media reported that New Delhi police had detained him.
“FS (foreign secretary) summons Pak High Commissioner to convey that Pak High Commission staffer has been declared persona non grata for espionage activities,” foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Twitter.
According to reports, Mehmood Akhtar, a staff member of Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit, was found
“possessing defence related documents”. However, he was later released due to diplomatic immunity, according to the
Times of India.
India claims arrest of ‘Pakistani pigeon’ with message for Modi
Further, reports added that Basit was summoned by the external affairs ministry after police authorities sent the report regarding the detention to the concerned ministry.
Earlier this month, India once again claimed to have taken into custody a “Pakistani pigeon” with Urdu scribble written on its wings from Bamial village in Indian Punjab. The pigeon, detained by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, had an Urdu message addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the
Press Trust of India (PTI).
The development came just a day after Indian forces claimed to have recovered two balloons with a similar message from the same area. “Modi, do not consider us the same people as we were during 1971. Now each and every child is ready to fight against India,” read the message.
India clips ‘spy’ pigeon’s wings over fears it will fly back to Pakistan
Cross border firing
Five civilians sustained injuries on Thursday as Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire across the Working Boundary.
The “intense and heavy” exchange of fire continued for 11 hours on Harpal and Chaprar sectors on the Working Boundary, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. ISPR added that Pakistani troops responded “befittingly” to Indian firing and inflicted “heavy casualties” while targeting Indian posts.
Pakistan on Tuesday, lodged a strong protest with India and the United Nations Military Observers group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) regarding the ‘unprovoked’ firing along the Working Boundary which killed two civilians a day earlier.
Five civilians injured in Indian firing across Working Boundary
Pakistan summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, while lodging a protest against ceasefire violations along the Working Boundary by Indian Border Forces (BSF), Foreign Office said in a statement.
“It was conveyed to the Indian side that it should investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, instruct its troops to respect the Ceasefire in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace on the Working Boundary,” the statement read.
This article originally appeared on
The Times of India.