Pakistan-India tensions are fast spiralling towards a low from which it would be very difficult to recover from. The expulsion of diplomats — who are one of the most important means of state level contact — is setting a dangerous precedent for both countries. It was India that initiated this phenomenon by expelling a Pakistani diplomatic staff member under the charge of being involved in “espionage activities,” in response to which Pakistan declared an Indian High Commission official Surjeet Singh as persona non grata, and conveyed to the Indian government to make necessary arrangements for his repatriation. Following this, India alleged that four Pakistani diplomats employed in Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi were working for Pakistani intelligence services, and subsequently, Pakistan government had to call back six of its officers. In the latest development, government of Pakistan has revealed the names and details of eight alleged Indian undercover agents working in Indian High Commission in Pakistan.
The revelation of such a large number of alleged undercover agents in one instance is unprecedented in Pakistan’s political history, and it holds tremendous significance for the future of Pakistan-India relations.
Any government that is using its diplomatic missions to carry out clandestine activities must be condemned in the strictest sense, and the matter must be raised at international forums. However, keeping in mind the Pakistan-India hostilities of the past few months, it is strange that now, all of sudden, both countries are finding undercover agents working in the other’s diplomatic missions. Viewed from the lens of the tit-for-tat reaction characterised by churlish belligerence of the two states, it appears that Pakistan and India are pushing the boundaries of acceptable diplomatic attacks to vilify each other. And this is a very dangerous road to take as it risks the calling off of diplomatic missions altogether, and makes the path to peace all the more difficult and unlikely.
Diplomatic missions abroad are vital in maintaining contact with other countries. They act as agents of cultural promotion, and provide a channel for resolution of diplomatic issues. The continuity of diplomatic missions for Pakistan and India is underscored by the fragile thread by which peace between the two countries is often maintained. In the present case, with Pakistani anger against India high over India’s excessive use of force in the Indian-held Kashmir, Indian war mongering voices loudly calling for revenge for what they perceive as Pakistan’s involvement in the attack on Uri base, and the constant exchange of fire across the Line of Control, the continuity of diplomatic missions is essential for providing a platform to register issues, and ultimately to reopening a proper channel for defusing tensions.
Moreover, diplomatic missions act as the first line of defence for states, and help them to protect their interests. This is greatly relevant to Pakistan and India because they are both are signatory to the Indus Water Treaty, and ensuring the successful continuation of this treaty relies on their diplomatic missions in each other’s country. Lest emotions get the best of reason, and governments on both sides choose to pander to jingoism rather than realism, it would serve them well to take all of this into account. *
http://dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/04-Nov-16/expulsion-of-diplomats-in-pakistan-and-india
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