Lok Sabha Question No. 4560 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-14
Subject: Expulsion of Diplomats
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: JAYADEV GALLA, PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4560 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2016

## EXPULSION OF DIPLOMATS

4560.

SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether recently two alleged Pakistani spies were caught while doing espionage;
- (b)
- if so, the facts and details thereof;
- (c) whether  India  has  expelled  a  Pakistani  staffer  and  declared  him persona non grata and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether in retaliation, Pakistan also expelled six of our staff from that country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  raise  the  issue  of  violation  of basic diplomatic norms by Pakistan in the United Nations and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (c) On October 28, 2016 the Government of India declared Mehmood Akhtar,  an  official  of  the  High  Commission  of  Pakistan  in  New  Delhi  as persona non grata and asked for his return from India within two days. He was apprehended by Indian law enforcement authorities on October 27 while receiving sensitive documents pertaining to national security of India from two  Indian  nationals.  During  his  interrogation,  he  revealed  to  Indian  law enforcement  authorities  that  he  belonged  to  Baloch  Regiment  of  Pakistan Army, joined Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan on deputation & had been  posted  in  Pakistan  High  Commission  in  New  Delhi  since  September 2013.

The Pakistan High Commissioner was summoned on October 28 by the Foreign Secretary. Government registered strong protest about the activities of Mehmood Akhtar which were incompatible with his status as a member of a  diplomatic mission. Pakistan High Commissioner was also told to ensure that  no  member  of  their  diplomatic  mission  should  indulge  in  activities inimical  to  India  or  behave  in  a  manner  which  is  incompatible  to  their diplomatic status. Akhtar left India on October 29, 2016.

Towards  end  of  October  2016,  names  of  eight  Pakistani  officials working in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, some of which were reportedly  mentioned  by  Mehmood  Akhtar  to  Indian  authorities  during  his investigation,  appeared  in  media.  Following  this,  Government  of  Pakistan decided to recall them. Accordingly on November 2, 2016, six Pakistan High Commission  officials,  including  three  diplomats  and  25  of  their  family members left India for Pakistan. Two other officials and their family members returned to Pakistan later during the month. The Government had no role in this decision of Government of Pakistan.

(d) & (e) On October 27 itself, in an apparent tit-for-tat, Pakistan Ministry of  Foreign  Affairs  declared  Shri  Surjeet  Singh,  Assistant  Personnel  and Welfare Officer in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as persona non grata  due to activities 'incompatible with his diplomatic  status'.  No justification for this baseless allegation against Shri Singh was provided by the  Government  of  Pakistan.  The  Government  rejected  the  unfounded allegations against Shri Singh, and made arrangements for his travel to India on October 29.

On  November  3,  2016,  at  the  likely  behest  of  their  Government, Pakistani media  published  details  of Indian officials (along with their photographs) working in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad alleging that  they  were  involved  in  'subversive  activities'.  This  was  in  blatant violation of established diplomatic norms and practices followed globally. On the same day, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed media during press  briefing  that  eight  Indian  diplomats  and  staff  were  found  involved  in subversive  activities  and  a  litany  of  baseless  charges  was  leveled  against them including creating controversies related to Pak-China trade, exploiting sectarian rifts, creating unrest in Gilgit-Baltistan, exploiting minorities including  Hindus,  Sikhs  and  Ahmadiyas  to  create  trouble  in  Pakistan, cultivating disgruntled elements in Baluchistan & facilitating their visits to India under fake medical visas and creating propaganda network to malign the  right  to  self-determination  in  'Indian-occupied  Kashmir'.  It  was  also alleged  that  these  officials  had  linkages  with  the  alleged  'network  of Kulbhushan Jadhav'.

The Ministry of External Affairs rejected the baseless and unsubstantiated allegations made by Pakistan against the officials of Indian High Commission in Islamabad and expressed regret that Pakistan authorities chose to level such allegations after deciding to recall, on their own, six officials of the Pakistan High Commission some of whom may have been named to Indian authorities by Mehmood Akhtar.

These eight Indian officials were subsequently withdrawn in the month of November 2016 in view of their safety.

In expelling Mehmood Akhtar, Government took the step in the interest of  national  security.  The  Government  addresses  all  bilateral  matters  with Pakistan through bilateral means.

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