India on Wednesday expelled a second member of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on grounds of "activities not in accordance with his official position," and asked him to depart within 24 hours. This comes after a Pakistani diplomat alleged to be a spy was expelled on May 13.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated confirming the official's declaration as persona non grata but refused to release explicit allegations. The Pakistani Charge d'Affaires was also given a demarche by New Delhi warning against any abuse of diplomatic immunity by Pakistani officials in India.
Earlier this month, Punjab Police nabbed two persons associated with espionage work with reference to the official of the Pakistani High Commission. In response, Pakistan expelled an Indian High Commission employee from Islamabad and declared him persona non grata, instructing him to depart within 24 hours.
These diplomatic expulsions are against the backdrop of increased tensions after India's "Operation Sindoor" on May 6-7, which hit nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation was a reaction to the April 22 terror attack on tourists in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam area that took 26 lives, which was attributed to The Resistance Front affiliated with the outlawed Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The attacks heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, with the two engaging in military fire before both nations on May 10 settled on stopping their military action and firing from 5 PM onwards. The ceasefire was broken by Pakistan hours later.
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