New Delhi: The Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria finally left Islamabad Saturday night to reach New Delhi via Dubai, ending all hopes of a diplomatic thaw between the two countries for the time being at least.
Bisaria was back in New Delhi almost four days after the Imran Khan government downgraded diplomatic ties with India following the Modi government’s decision to scrap the ‘special status’ and bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to sources, Bisaria left via Dubai since there are no direct flights between Islamabad or Lahore to New Delhi. Even though the orders expelling him came Wednesday, New Delhi was hopeful that the Pakistani government would rethink and roll back the decision of disrupting normal diplomatic communications.
Pakistan, however, appears to be in no mood of a review and has remained firm on its decision to downgrade the ties. It has suspended bilateral trade with Delhi and will not be sending its new High Commissioner to India Moin Ul Haque, who was expected to take charge this month, sources said.
Also read: Pakistan downgrades diplomatic ties, suspends trade with India after Modi govt’s Kashmir move
A downgrade in ties
A day after the National Security Committee of Pakistan, summoned by Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to downgrade diplomatic ties with India, New Delhi expressed “regret” and urged Islamabad to review the decision so that “normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved.”
Pakistan has also suspended the Samjhauta Express, Thar Express and Delhi–Lahore Bus, officially known as Sada-e-Sarhad. India has called these decisions by Pakistan “unilateral” as it did not consult with the Modi government before announcing these steps.
“There is a feeling that Pakistan is nervous over India’s initiative in Jammu and Kashmir … We have told Pakistan not to send an alarming picture to the world,” Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs had said Friday.
However, despite raging tensions both sides have decided to continue the dialogue on making progress in the Kartarpur Corridor for pilgrimage and make it operational by November. Talks are also on getting consular access to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who is on a death row there.