Pak declares Indian HC official Surjeet Singh as persona non-grata; asks him to leave Pak in 48 hours

Reacting to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs order to Pakistan High Commission staffer to leave India in next 48 hours, Pakistan’s government has declared Surjeet Singh (official of Indian High Commission in Pakistan) as persona non-grata and asked him to leave Pakistan in next 48 hours.

Foreign Office said in a statement that the decision was conveyed to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale who was summoned to foreign ministry.

"The Foreign Secretary (Aizaz Chaudhry) summoned the Indian High Commissioner today and conveyed the decision of the Government of Pakistan to declare Surjeet Singh, an official of the Indian High Commission, as persona non-grata," the statement said.

The Foreign Secretary expressed deep concern over the activities of the Indian official that were in violation of the Vienna Convention and the established diplomatic norms, it said.

The Indian High Commission has been asked to make urgent necessary arrangements for Singh and his family to leave Pakistan by October 29.

Pakistan’s has taken action just like the way India had acted against Pakistan’s high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar. Akhtar was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.

Earlier, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup has said that if today Pak is feeling isolated, it's because of its misguided policies; People of Pak should urge govt to adopt policies that favour peace. “Denial that has come out from Pak (on Mehmood Akhtar), would say that this is something which has by now become quiet characteristic,” said Vikas Swarup.

India declared a Pakistan High Commission staffer in New Delhi as persona non-grata for espionage activities after he was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.