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Change of policy or time-off for tit-for-tat?

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Even tit-for-tat diplomacy needs its downtime, unless this is a policy change.

The expulsion by India of a driver working at the Pakistan High Commission on charges of espionage has not yet provoked a retaliatory action by Islamabad.

Officials declined to comment on whether this was a shift in the way Pakistan and India have long conducted their diplomatic ties, but said it was more likely due to the nearly weeklong Id holidays here. Less than three months ago, Pakistan declared the Indian visa counsellor here persona non grata. Within hours, India had sent the political counsellor at the Pakistan High Commission packing.

India picked up the driver, Mohammed Farooq last Friday alleging he was part of an ISI spy ring trying to infiltrate the Army. A retaliation in kind would have been normal, but Pakistan left it at a statement saying the "illegal detention and manhandling" of Mr. Farooq was a violation of diplomatic norms and international conventions.

The expulsion in the middle of the festival week here has gone almost unnoticed. The Foreign Office spokeswoman declared she was not taking any calls and to contact her only after the holidays, but she did tell Dawn that "we regret the Indian Government's decision to declare Mohammed Farooq, a driver of the Pakistan High Commission, persona non grata."

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