Pakistan on Tuesday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner to the Foreign Office and conveyed its serious concerns over the harassment of a diplomat in New Delhi, just as Indian Foreign Secretary expressed regrets over the incident. A Pakistani diplomat Zirgham Raza and his driver Haider Zaman were roughed up on Monday after his vehicle hit a motorcycle in New Delhi while he was returning to his home in the Vasant Kunj area.
"The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called to the Foreign Office on Tuesday and serious concerns were raised over yesterday's incident in New Delhi in which First Secretary Zirgham Raza and his driver Haider Zaman of the Pakistan High Commission were physically abused," said Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. He said that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was informed that such incidents are "uncalled for, unnecessary and do not augur well for the overall bilateral relations", especially at a time when the leadership of the two countries "is desirous of improving and normalising relations". Earlier in the day, the spokesperson said that Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had also called Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani to express his regrets over the incident and assured him that the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
In this regard, the spokesperson said that the Indian Foreign Secretary had informed Foreign Secretary Jilani that two persons involved in the incident had already been arrested and an FIR had been lodged. The spokesperson also urged the Indian government to ensure security of the Pakistani diplomats.
"While noting the actions being taken by the government of India in resolving the matter, the government of Pakistan calls upon it [Indian government] to ensure that such incidents do not recur," he said, reminding the Indian government of its obligations under diplomatic conventions and norms of providing adequate safety and security to all Pakistan High Commission personnel, premises and vehicles.
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