Three Indian High Commission officials on Tuesday left Islamabad by flight to return to India via Dubai, GeoNews reported. They are among the several Indians diplomats accused by the Pakistani government of being agents of India's intelligence agencies. The report follows speculation that India and Pakistan are planning to recall their envoys as a result of the fracas that began with India declaring Pakistani High Commission official Mehmood Akhtar "persona non grata" on October 27. He was subsequently expelled from the country.
The Pakistani channel, quoting officials who were not identified, said the Indian High Commission staff members were Anurag Singh, Vijay Kumar Varma and Mandhawan Nanda Kumar. The report said four other Indian High Commission employees – Rajesh Kumar Ragni Hotri, Balbair Singh, Amardeep Singh Bhatti, Jiya Balin and Dharmendra – will leave the country by road through the Wagah Border later on Tuesday. The Pakistani daily said several "Indian spies" have been apprehended within Pakistan in the past.
On November 3, Pakistan had listed eight Indian High Commission staffers as members of New Delhi's intelligence agencies and accused them of indulging in "subversive activities". Pakistan had alleged that the eight staffers were "supporting terrorist activities in Balochistan and Sindh, sabotaging the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, and fueling instability in the two provinces”. The announcement came after India declared four Pakistani High Commission employees spies, which Islamabad claims compromised their security.
Relations between India and Pakistan have worsened since the militant attack on the Indian Army's camp in Kashmir's Uri sector on September 18.
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