New Delhi, May 13, 2025: In a move likely to stir fresh diplomatic tension following a fragile ceasefire, India on Tuesday declared a Pakistani diplomat posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs accused the official of engaging in “activities not in keeping with his official status,” though it did not disclose specific allegations. The Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission was summoned earlier in the day and handed a formal demarche regarding the expulsion.
The development comes just a day after high-level military talks were held between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries, marking the first such engagement since the May 10 ceasefire agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In the DGMO-level dialogue, both sides pledged not to initiate any hostile military action or fire a single shot, signaling a tentative step toward de-escalation after weeks of heightened tensions.
The roots of the crisis lie in a deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 civilians. India swiftly blamed Pakistan-based groups, though no evidence was publicly presented. Islamabad rejected the accusations, calling India’s subsequent actions — including closure of the Wagah border, visa suspensions, and revocation of the Indus Waters Treaty — provocative and tantamount to an “act of war.”
The situation deteriorated rapidly with India launching Operation Sindoor, involving missile strikes and drone incursions. Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, claiming to have shot down five Indian fighter jets, including Rafales, and intercepted 77 Israeli-made Harop drones.
Intensive diplomatic mediation, led primarily by the United States, with support from China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkiye, and Qatar, eventually succeeded in brokering a comprehensive ceasefire across land, air, and maritime domains. The truce was publicly confirmed by leaders on both sides, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
