Withdraw your children from Pakistan schools - India's advisory to diplomats

Indian government asked all its diplomats in Pakistan to withdraw their wards from Pakistani schools and send them back to New Delhi.

New Delhi: The Indian government on Monday issued advisory to all of its staff members in the Pakistan High Commission to withdraw their wards from Pakistani schools and send them back to India. 

India has declared Pakistan as 'No school going mission' for staff members of Indian High Commission in Islamabad, said a ANI report.

As per the directive, the staff members of the Indian High Commission will either have to return or send their school going children back to India. Schools in Pakistan are scheduled to open next month.

The move is seen as a big diplomatic snub to Pakistan as this is the first time when the Indian government has directed any such advisory to its diplomats in the neighbouring country. 

The announcement came after a government's review of staffing and related policies for their diplomatic missions as also prevailing circumstances at the station.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "It is a normal practice for all countries to review staffing and related policies for their diplomatic missions, including in view of prevailing circumstances at those stations.

"With effect from this academic session, officials posted in the High Commission of India in Islamabad have been advised to make arrangements for education of their wards outside Pakistan, till further notice."

Reacting quickly to India's move, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria in Islamabad said, "This is an informal, internal, administrative arrangement we were informed of two months back. No other considerations were communicated to us."

This development amounts to downgrade of Pakistan as a 'non-school-going station', an official said.

Last week, India had asked Pakistan to ensure full safety and security of Indian officials and their families there in view of the threats of marches and protests at the High Commission after the observance of Kashmir's Accession to Pakistan Day and Black Day last week.

India and Pakistan are witnessing growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Burhan Wani's killing on July 8. Wani was a wanted terrorist Commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen.

Not only did Sharif praise Wani but he also remarked that 'Kashmir will one day become Pakistan', a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country 'will not be realised even at the end of eternity'.