'Bitter' Pakistan ISI, Rangers Say No To Sweets From India On Diwali: Report

With tensions between India and Pakistan on escalating every day, it seems thing have gone too bitter for the exchange of customary sweets on festive occasions. According to a report, Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and border guards Rangers have decided not to accept sweets from the Indian side this Diwali.

As per protocol, every year Indian High Commission in Islamabad sends sweets to top government offices and agencies on festive occasions such as Diwali. However, this year the ISI office has returned the Diwali sweets sent by the Indian High Commission. It was reported that ISI protocol accepted sweets at first but have returned them later.

"As a protocol, every year the Indian High Commission in Islamabad sends Diwali sweets to all important Pakistani dignitaries. The ISI protocol accepted sweets initially but have returned back all today," India Today reported quoting said a source.

The customary exchange of sweets between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers along the International Border is also not expected to take place  this Diwali. The exchange did not take place on the occasion of Eid al-Adha this year.

Both BSF and the Pakistani Rangers have in the past followed the tradition of exchanging sweets and gifts on national festivals like Diwali and Eid, as well as on the occasion of the Independence day functions of the two neighbouring countries.

Pakistan had unilaterally withdrawn diplomatic ties with India in the wake of the New Delhi's decision to revoke provisions of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The Imran Khan government has been trying to raise the issue at international fora after India's decision to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two UTs.

There have been a series of ceasefire violations at LoC from Pakistan since the August 5 decision. The most recent exchange saw Indian army target terror launch pads in PoK after Pakistan targeted civilian areas in Tangdhar in Jammu and Kashmir.