Tensions between India and Pakistan have flared up once again as New Delhi ordered yet another Pakistani diplomat to leave the country within 24 hours.
The decision comes amid a rapid deterioration in diplomatic ties following the deadly April 23 attack in India-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam region.
According to official sources, Indian authorities on Wednesday expelled Muzammil, a Pakistani official stationed at the High Commission in New Delhi. Muzammil, who was serving in the visa section, was declared persona non grata on grounds of alleged activities “incompatible with diplomatic norms.”
Earlier the same day, India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Pakistani chargé d'affaires to deliver a formal démarche. “He was asked to strictly ensure that none of the Pakistani diplomats or officials in India misuse their privileges and status in any manner,” the ministry stated.
This is not the first diplomatic expulsion in recent weeks. On May 13, India also ordered the departure of another Pakistani visa assistant named Rahim. Since the Pahalgam incident, India has expelled a total of 24 Pakistani diplomatic staff in a move that reflects the severity of the current standoff.
The April 23 attack, which killed several tourists in the Pahalgam area, triggered a harsh diplomatic response from India. The government not only blamed Pakistan for the assault but also moved swiftly to cut down bilateral ties.
India ordered all Pakistani citizens within its borders to leave the country within 48 hours, closed the Attari checkpost, and directed the Pakistani High Commission staff to return home within a week. Furthermore, visas for Pakistani defense attachés and diplomats were either restricted or canceled, with several officials told to leave immediately.
In a bold policy shift, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security decided to slash the number of staff allowed at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi from 55 to just 30, effective May 1.
The escalating expulsions and tightening diplomatic restrictions indicate a deepening rift between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. With each side hardening its stance, hopes for de-escalation seem to be fading quickly.
