India on Monday confirmed Pakistani newspaper reports that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has termed Islamabad a “non-school” posting for Indian diplomats.“It is a normal practice for all countries to review staffing and related policies for their diplomatic missions, including in view of prevailing circumstances at those stations. With effect from this academic session, officials posted in the High Commission of India in Islamabad have been advised to make arrangements for education of their wards outside Pakistan, till further notice,” Vikas Swarup, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs told the media emphasising that the move was a follow-up decision to a June 2015 official plan.
Though the MEA did not respond to questions on specific threats to Indian diplomats or their children in Pakistan, a diplomatic source in Islamabad told The Hindu that over the last few days concerns about the security of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad have been growing.
Soft targets
“Starting with the school attack in Peshawar of December 16, 2014, children have often been perceived as soft targets. So precautionary measures were under consideration for sometime,” the official said over phone.
The official also drew attention to continued threats that several Pakistan political parties have made in recent weeks about staging a march to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Following the threats to the High Commission, India had reminded Pakistan about its obligation to protect its diplomats and their families.
Western countries had declared Pakistan a non-family posting for several years due to the high threat perception.
However, India had avoided taking a similar decision, till now.
Not to reciprocate
Pakistan diplomatic sources pointed out that there is not yet any plan of reciprocity on this issue and they do not intend to withdraw family members from India as of now.
Informal arrangement
“This is an informal internal, administrative arrangement we were informed of two months back. No other considerations were communicated to us,” Nafees Zakaria, Spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Hindu.
However, government sources cautioned against highlighting the Pakistani report and suggested it could “create the spectre of tension and India-Pak conflict.”
