New Delhi: India on Tuesday declared a staff member, working at the Pakistan High Commission here, persona non grata for indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status in India.
The staff member, Md Ehsan Ur Rahim, has been asked to leave India within 24 hours. Charge d'affaires, Pakistan high commission, was issued a demarche to this effect on Tuesday.
ET has learnt that this Pakistan HC member allegedly indulged in espionage in Punjab. Punjab Police had apprehended two individuals associated with Md Rahim.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday asserted that the military action against Pakistan was entirely in conventional domain, thereby negating suggestions, including from US President Donald Trump, that the two countries were heading towards a nuclear conflict.
"There were some reports that Pakistan's National Command Authority will meet on May 10. But this was later denied. Pakistan's foreign minister denied the nuclear angle on record. As you know, India has a firm stance that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail or allow cross-border terrorism to be conducted invoking the nuclear threat. In conversations with various countries, we also cautioned that their subscribing to such scenarios could hurt them in their own region," MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said here.
Trump has claimed that his country played a role in preventing a potential nuclear war between India and Pakistan that could have claimed millions of lives. Trump had also sought to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
Clarifying the Indian position, Jaiswal said, "We have a longstanding national position that any issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. The outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan."
Jaiswal also elaborated on the sequence of contacts between the India-Pakistan DGMOs. The specific date, time and wording of the understanding was worked out between DGMOs of the two countries during their phone call on May 10, commencing at 1535 hours. The request for this call was received by MEA from the Pakistani high commission at 1237 hours. The Pakistani side had initial difficulties connecting the hotline to the Indian side for technical reasons. The timing was then decided based on the availability of the Indian DGMO at 1535 hours on May 10, Jaiswal informed.
Early on May 10 morning, India had mounted an effective attack on key Pakistan Air Force bases. That was the reason they were now willing to stop firing and military action. Jaiswal quipped, "Let me be clear. It was the force of Indian arms that compelled Pakistan to stop its firing."
The staff member, Md Ehsan Ur Rahim, has been asked to leave India within 24 hours. Charge d'affaires, Pakistan high commission, was issued a demarche to this effect on Tuesday.
ET has learnt that this Pakistan HC member allegedly indulged in espionage in Punjab. Punjab Police had apprehended two individuals associated with Md Rahim.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday asserted that the military action against Pakistan was entirely in conventional domain, thereby negating suggestions, including from US President Donald Trump, that the two countries were heading towards a nuclear conflict.
"There were some reports that Pakistan's National Command Authority will meet on May 10. But this was later denied. Pakistan's foreign minister denied the nuclear angle on record. As you know, India has a firm stance that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail or allow cross-border terrorism to be conducted invoking the nuclear threat. In conversations with various countries, we also cautioned that their subscribing to such scenarios could hurt them in their own region," MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said here.
Trump has claimed that his country played a role in preventing a potential nuclear war between India and Pakistan that could have claimed millions of lives. Trump had also sought to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
Clarifying the Indian position, Jaiswal said, "We have a longstanding national position that any issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. The outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan."
Jaiswal also elaborated on the sequence of contacts between the India-Pakistan DGMOs. The specific date, time and wording of the understanding was worked out between DGMOs of the two countries during their phone call on May 10, commencing at 1535 hours. The request for this call was received by MEA from the Pakistani high commission at 1237 hours. The Pakistani side had initial difficulties connecting the hotline to the Indian side for technical reasons. The timing was then decided based on the availability of the Indian DGMO at 1535 hours on May 10, Jaiswal informed.
Early on May 10 morning, India had mounted an effective attack on key Pakistan Air Force bases. That was the reason they were now willing to stop firing and military action. Jaiswal quipped, "Let me be clear. It was the force of Indian arms that compelled Pakistan to stop its firing."
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