Pakistan cancels Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria's lecture at Lahore institute

Pakistan has cancelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria's scheduled lecture at a training institute in Lahore on at the last-minute, claiming that the diplomat didn’t take prior permission from the foreign office. The Pakistan’s latest move might further escalate tension between the two nations.   

 Bisaria was scheduled to speak at the National School of Public Policy (NSPP) on Thursday. The institution trains civil servants and invites academicians, professionals and dignitaries for guest lectures on a regular basis. 

"The NSPP Lahore had invited Bisaria for the guest lecture for October 4 but the Indian High Commission was informed that his lecture has been cancelled. The commission will be informed on re-scheduling of his lecture," a source told news agency PTI.

According to sources, the NSPP management had to cancel the Indian High Commissioner’s lecture after receiving orders from the top. "The management was told that in case of inviting any ambassador for a guest lecture, at least permission is required from the foreign office,” the source said.    

Recently, Bisaria was also stopped from visiting a gurdwara, despite securing prior permissions. The foreign ministry claimed the Sikh pilgrims from India did not want to meet the Indian envoy. The ties between Indian and Pakistan witnessed tautness after brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani, following which India cancelled the proposed foreign ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. 

(With PTI inputs)