Pakistan gives in after strong demarche by India, frees two Indian High Commission staffers in Islamabad

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New Delhi: Two Indian High Commission officials in Pakistan who went missing and were reportedly arrested on Monday (June 15), were released by Pakistan authorities and returned to Indian mission at Islamabad, ANI sources claimed. 

Barely a few hours back, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had summoned Pakistan's Charge d'affaires to India Syed Hyder in the national capital and made a strong demarche stating that its the responsibility of the Pakistan government to ensure the safety and security of Indian officials stationed there.

The sources said the demarche made it clear that there should be no interrogation or harassment of the Indian officials and the responsibility for the safety and security of the concerned diplomatic personnel lay squarely with the Pakistani authorities. Pakistan was asked to return the two officials along with the official car to the High Commission immediately.

Nearly eight hours after the two Indian High Commission staffers went missing, Pakistani media reported that the two officials were arrested for their alleged involvement in a 'hit and run accident'. 

It is learnt that both the Indian High Commission staffers were CISF drivers and they went missing at around 8:30 am while they were out on duty in Islamabad.

The development comes a few days after India had expelled two Pakistani High Commission officials in Delhi after they were caught red-handed for spying against India. The two Pakistani officials worked in the visa section of the High Commission in New Delhi.

On May 31, the Indian authorities had nabbed two Pakistani High Commission officials in Delhi's Karol Bagh while they were trying to source a sensitive document. For this act of espionage, India had declared them as persona non grata and both were sent back to Islamabad on June 1.

It is alleged that the two had assumed fake Indian identities. The authorities had also recovered a fake Aadhaar card by the name of Nasir Gotam, resident of Geeta colony from them. Also, two Apple iPhone and Rs 15,000 in cash were recovered by the authorities.

The two officials, Abdi Hussain Abid, aged 42 and Tahir Khan, aged 44 had come in a Pakistani diplomatic car. After probe it was revealed that the Pakistan High Commission was in the process of selling the car.

Earlier on June 5, it was reported that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been harassing and intimidating India’s top diplomat in Islamabad. The report stated that ISI had stationed multiple persons in cars and bikes outside his residence to harass and intimidate him.