New Delhi: India has expelled a Pakistani official stationed at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, declaring him persona non grata for actions deemed inconsistent with his diplomatic role. The move signals a further escalation in diplomatic tensions following recent military engagements between the two nations.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “The Centre has declared a Pakistani official, working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, persona non grata for indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status in India. The official has been asked to leave India within 24 hours. Charge d’ Affaires, Pakistan High Commission, was issued a demarche to this effect today.”
The expulsion follows closely on the heels of a high-profile briefing led by a senior Indian military officer to defence attachés and foreign representatives from around 70 countries. The session highlighted the strategic success of Operation Sindoor, India’s latest large-scale counterterror operation launched in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this month.
Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor involved coordinated precision strikes by Indian forces on nine terror launchpads situated across Pakistani territory. These included key strongholds associated with terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke.
In apparent retaliation, Pakistan deployed drones that entered Indian airspace over consecutive nights. However, these incursions were swiftly detected and neutralised by India’s air defence network.
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India responded with a decisive escalation, targeting and neutralising vital Pakistani military infrastructure, including the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi and the Rahim Yar Khan airbase.
Despite a brief ceasefire agreement—reportedly proposed by Islamabad—being reached through a meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs), it collapsed within hours. Pakistan was accused of violating the terms shortly after the agreement, thereby reigniting tensions along the border.
The latest expulsion adds a diplomatic dimension to the already volatile situation, underlining India’s firm posture amid ongoing hostilities.
