India again issues note verbale to Pakistan, says its security agencies harassing Indian diplomats

India on Wednesday issued a second note verbale to Pakistan saying that its agencies are continuing to harass and tail Indian diplomats in Islamabad. India also urged the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to investigate the matter.

This is the second such incident of India issuing a note verbale within a span of 48 hours.

In the note, India has also mentioned that incidents of harassment of family members are against the Vienna Convention.

Earlier on Monday, India had also sent a note verbale to Pakistan following reports of harassment of Indian diplomats, asking Islamabad to not only investigate the matter but also share the results.

According to the note, India cited 13 instances of harassment in the month of March itself and asked Pakistan to stop such incidents and investigate the matter. 

According to news agency ANI sources, on March 14, two Pakistani security agency personnel were seen keeping watch outside the residence of Naval Adviser of India. He was hosting a dinner at that time at his residence. The next day the naval adviser was aggressively tailed by two Pakistani security agency personnel.

In another incident, staff member of Indian High Commission who was looking into arrangements for moving house of the Second Secretary was approached by a person who inquired, in an intimidating manner, about details of the occupants of the house, the time of vacating of the house and the procedure followed to rent the house.

On March 8, a First Secretary was aggressively tailed by Pakistani security agency personnel in a car while proceeding from the Chancery to the bank. On the same day, the Naval Adviser was aggressively tailed by Pakistani security agency in a car while proceeding from Chancery to his residence, the note read. The note also cited instances of two Indian officers receiving a number of hoax calls during the last few days.

On March 9, Deputy High Commissioner was aggressively tailed by Pakistani security agency personnel on a motorcycle. The following day, the Deputy High Commissioner was again aggressively followed by personnel on a motorcycle while going from his residence to a market, the note mentioned.

On March 9 and 10, the Naval Adviser was aggressively tailed by Pakistani security agency personnel in a car while going from residence to Islamabad Club and to another officer's residence, the note further stated. It further mentioned that on the same dates, one Pakistani agency personnel was observed keeping static surveillance outside the residence of Deputy High Commissioner.

The agency personnel was also observed meeting the local security guard outside the residence regularly and asking details regarding availability of the officer and details of occupants of the residence. They were found keeping surveillance outside the residence during a dinner party at his residence, it said.

On March 9-10, Pakistani personnel were spotted "keeping static surveillance" outside the home of the Deputy High Commissioner and they also met the local security guard regularly and sought details regarding the official. Furthermore, the High Commissioner was being followed by two Pakistani agency personnel, the note said.

India had asked Pakistani authorities to "investigate these incidents urgently and instruct the relevant agencies to ensure that similar incidents do not recur". It stated that such incidents of harassment were in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and that the safety and security of Indian High Commission officers, staff members, and their families is the responsibility of the Pakistan government.