Pakistan has pulled out six of its officials posted at its High Commission in New Delhi on Wednesday. Though there was no official announcement about Pakistan withdrawing its diplomats, according to Pakistani sources, six mission officials have returned home.
The move comes after India expelled Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar for spying last week. The officials, who left India, included commercial counsellor Syed Furrukh Habib and first secretaries Khadim Hussain, Mudassir Cheema and Shahid Iqbal, whose names were referred to by Akhtar during his interrogation by the Delhi Police and intelligence agencies.
The employees returned to Pakistan via the Wagah Border.
In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan had declared an Indian High Commission official as persona non-grata after New Delhi’s action against Akhtar. On Wednesday, reports emerged that two more Indian diplomats might be expelled from Islamabad.
(With inputs from PTI and The Times of India)
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