Pakistan says no to WTO meet in New Delhi, to be attended by China and US

NEW DELHI: Amid tensions between India and Pakistan over reports of harassment of diplomats, the neighbouring country decided not to take part in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meet which will take place in the national capital next week.

Pakistan commerce minister Pervaiz Malik, who was invited to India to participate in the WTO ministerial meeting slated to be held between March 19 to 20, called off his visit to protest against the 'unprecedented intimidation'.

The decision to stay away from WTO meeting in India coincided with the recalling of Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Sohail Mehmood.

Mahmood arrived last evening for consultations after Pakistan alleged repeated harassment of its diplomats in New Delhi.

Trade ministers of over 50 nations including the US, China and Pakistan were invited by India to discuss issues related to agriculture and services.

On Saturday, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad had sent yet another complaint of harassment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. An Indian officer and his family were followed by bike-borne men on Thursday, March 15, in Islamabad.

This was the 12 Note Verbale submitted this year.

Both the neighbour nations have been trading allegations over harassment of High Commission personnel for sometime now.

Last week, on March 11, Islamabad accused India of harassing diplomats and their families living in the country, reported Pakistan-based publication Dawn, quoting diplomatic sources.

Media reports suggest that Pakistan warned to pull out its diplomats and their families if the "intimidation" is not put to an end.

The diplomatic source was further quoted as claiming that children of Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner were stopped and harassed while they were going to school. He further alleged that members of diplomatic were being abused during their movement in public.