Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated recently, with Islamabad reportedly blocking essential supplies, including gas and water, to Indian diplomats stationed in Islamabad. This move is seen as a retaliatory measure following "Operation Sindoor," a recent Indian counter-terror operation. India is reportedly planning retaliatory measures against Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi in response to the harassment faced by Indian diplomats in Islamabad.
Pakistani authorities have intensified their harassment of Indian diplomats in Islamabad by cutting off basic amenities and increasing surveillance. Newspaper deliveries to the Indian High Commission and the homes of Indian diplomats have been stopped. More critically, local vendors have reportedly been instructed by Pakistani authorities not to provide essential supplies like cooking gas and water to Indian officials. The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) has installed gas pipelines at the Indian High Commission premises, but the supply has been deliberately withheld. The mission's contracted drinking water supplier has been barred from making deliveries, with vendors across Islamabad allegedly instructed to deny clean drinking water to Indian diplomats, forcing them to either rely on unsafe tap water or invest in extensive filtration systems.
Beyond the supply cuts, there has been a noticeable increase in aggressive surveillance. Reports also suggest instances of unauthorized entries into the residences and offices of Indian diplomats. According to top government sources, the measures taken by Pakistan are part of a pattern of petty retaliation orchestrated by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is to disrupt the living and working conditions of Indian diplomats in Islamabad.
In response to Pakistan's actions, India has initiated a reciprocal move by halting newspaper supplies to Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi. The reciprocal action by the Indian government sent a strong message to Pakistani authorities, outlining the deepening chill in diplomatic relations between the two nations. India has also reportedly ordered Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi to vacate their residences before the expiry of their contracts, amid continuing harassment and surveillance. The sources said Pakistani diplomats are under constant watch, and their home internet services are being frequently suspended.
These actions are viewed as a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which ensures the safety and dignity of diplomatic personnel. Indian officials have termed the newspaper delivery ban as a "deliberate conspiracy by Pakistan's intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to keep Indian diplomats isolated from normal access to print media, restrict their awareness of local developments, and render their living and working conditions in Islamabad unpleasant".
This is not the first time such tactics have been employed. A similar pattern of harassment against Indian diplomatic staff was observed in 2019, following the surgical strikes conducted by India after the Pulwama terror attack. The current situation marks a significant and concerning escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have a long history of conflict, including the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent Balakot airstrikes. Since then, there have been no high-level bilateral talks between the two nations. The recent Operation Sindoor and India's decisive enforcement of the Indus Water Treaty have further strained relations.
