Pakistan, India expels each other's diplomats

Pakistan and India each announced on Tuesday the expulsion of one diplomat from the other country, with both sides accusing the respective officials of engaging in espionage activities.

Pakistan declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as persona non grata. The official has been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where a formal démarche was issued conveying the decision, the foreign office said, adding that it called on the Indian mission to ensure that its personnel refrain from actions inconsistent with their diplomatic responsibilities.

According to Indian media, the Indian government announced earlier it had expelled an official working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and asked him to leave the country within 24 hours.

The Pakistani diplomat, who was declared "persona non grata" by the Indian authorities, was "indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status in India", according to India's foreign ministry in a statement.