Separatist Mohammad Ahsan Antoo taken into custody outside Pakistan High Commission

Delhi Police on Friday took Separatist Mohammad Hasan Antoo into custody from national custody when he was trying to enter Pakistan High Commission. According to reports, Antoo runs an organisation International Forum of Justice and Human Rights. 

Reports suggest he was invited by the Pakistan High Commission to attend the Pakistan Day. 

Spot visuals: One person has been detained from outside the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi, where Pakistan National Day is to be celebrated today. pic.twitter.com/BGgLqBrYiJ

— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2019

Ahead of Pakistan High Commission's reception of the Pakistan National Day, intelligence agencies had alerted the Delhi police.  

India will not send any official representative to the Pakistan National Day event at the Pakistan High Commission on Friday in protest against the invitation extended to Hurriyat leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, informed sources told IANS.

The invitation to the separatists indicated that Pakistan was again meddling in India's internal affairs and hence the time was not conducive to send an official representative to the event, the sources said.

Diplomatic ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have been strained following the Pulwama attack on February 14 Pulwama for which Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility. Pakistan National Day is observed every year on March 23 through the Pakistan High Commission decided to organise the event this year a day earlier.