Qazi told to go home as India, Pak let shells do the talking

After a lull of five months, India launched yet another diplomatic offensive against Pakistan today when it asked Islamabad to withdraw its ...

After a lull of five months, India launched yet another diplomatic offensive against Pakistan today when it asked Islamabad to withdraw its High Commissioner in New Delhi, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, within a week.

The demand, which comes in the wake of the Jammu massacre, was formally communicated to Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner, Jaleel Abbas Jilani, who was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs this afternoon.

Pakistan said the decision would be followed through but conveyed that ‘‘channels of communication must remain open despite the recall’’.

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The Cabinet Committee on Security — which took this decision — met amid reports from Poonch, Rajouri and Uri sectors of Jammu and Kashmir of very heavy shelling. After the two-hour CCS meeting, chaired by the PM, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the Government had decided that the Pakistan High Commissioner ‘‘be required to return to Islamabad’’.

Sources say the decision is the first among other diplomatic options — such as further scaling down missions — that may follow. The CCS may meet again on Sunday. The decision comes a day after Parliament unanimously backed the Centre for any action it took to counter Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh said the move was aimed at maintaining ‘‘parity of representation’’.

India had recalled its High Commissioner to Pakistan Vijay Nambiar after the December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament and ordered a 50 per cent reduction in the staff strength of Pakistan High Commission here.

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MEA spokesperson Nirupama Rao described it as a ‘‘significant step’’ that was taken after a detailed examination of the situation. Nirupama Rao said that ‘‘the Kaluchak massacre brought us to this juncture’’ and it was taken because ‘‘there is deep concern about the fact there has been no diminution in Pakistani support of terrorists, infiltration is on the rise and training camps continue to flourish in Pakistani territory and PoK’’.

In a statement to PTV, Qazi said the decision would not have a positive impact on bilateral relations. ‘‘It is unfortunate. But it falls within the sovereign right of India to take any step, whether wise or unwise.’’

In Islamabad, Pakistan military spokesman Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi said India’s decision amounted to expelling Qazi. ‘‘The Pakistan government did not want to recall him,’’ he added. Sources in the Pakistan High Commission said India’s view that infiltration has gone up ‘‘contradicts’’ the PM’s statement in Parliament last March, in which he said Pakistan’s efforts have had a positive impact on the situation in J-K.