Indian envoy snubbed: India summons Pakistan High Commissioner to lodge protest

In a snub, Karachi Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday cancelled an event of Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale at the last minute.

New Delhi: India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to lodge protest over "discourtesy" shown to Indian envoy on Tuesday.

"Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned today to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed the concern of Government of India by Secretary (West) (Sujata Mehta) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

"He (Basit) was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance," Swarup said.

In a snub, Karachi Chamber of Commerce yesterday cancelled an event of Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale at the last minute apparently over his remarks on Monday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir.

Bambawale, who is on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge in January this year, was told about the cancellation "just half an hour before the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago", sources told news agency PTI.

The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials feel that Bambawale's comments on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir which was India's internal matter "rattled the Pakistani authorities here, prompting a cancellation".

"This is very disrespectful on the part of the organisers," officials asserted.

On Monday, during an interactive session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.

"There are problems in both India and Pakistan and you (Pakistan) should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries," he had said.

(With PTI inputs)