Islamabad: Pakistani authorities on Monday detained two officials of the Indian high commission in Islamabad in a case of alleged “hit and run” and released them after over 10 hours following India”s strong demarche and a blunt message to Islamabad that the duo must be freed immediately.
The Pakistani action is seen as a retaliation for the expulsion of two Pakistani High Commission officials by India on charges of espionage two weeks back.
Police released the two Indian officials after the Foreign Office informed the authorities that they had diplomatic immunity, ARY TV reported.
They were handed over to an official of the Indian mission, it said.
The two officials were arrested after a BMW car hit a pedestrian who was walking on the city’s Embassy Road at around 8am, Geo News reported, quoting some eyewitnesses.
The pedestrian was critically injured and shifted to a hospital for treatment. The car was stopped by a huge crowd of people who handed over its two occupants to police, it said.
After they were arrested, police discovered that the two persons were officials of the Indian High Commission, it said.
The Express Tribune newspaper identified the two Indian officials as Silvades Paul and Dawamu Brahamu.
There was no official confirmation about arrest and release of the two officials.
Also read: Two Indian High Commission Staffers in Islamabad Missing, Government Sources
India protests
India on Monday summoned the Pakistan charge d’affaires and lodged a strong protest to him over the reported arrest of two officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Pakistani media reported that two Indian staffers, who went missing on Monday morning, were arrested by Pakistani authorities for their alleged involvement in a “hit and run accident”.
Official sources said the Pakistan charge d’affaires (CDA) was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and a demarche was issued to him over the reported arrest of the two officials.
In the demarche, it was made clear to the Pakistani CDA that there should be no interrogation or harassment of the Indian officials and the responsibility for their safety and security lay squarely with the Pakistani authorities, they said.
The sources said the Pakistan side was asked to return the two officials along with the official car to the High Commission immediately.
In the morning, the two staffers in Islamabad went missing following which India took up the matter with the Pakistan Foreign Office.
The two staffers went out of the High Commission in a vehicle for official duty at around 8:30 Am (IST), but did not reach their destination, the sources said.
The incident comes two weeks after India expelled two Pakistan High Commission officials here on charges of espionage.
India had declared Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir as ‘persona non grata’ after they were found obtaining sensitive documents relating to movement of Indian Army troops from an Indian national, according to authorities here.
Following their expulsion, Pakistani agencies started harassing a number of Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad including charge d’affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia.
Note: The story has been updated to reflect the reported release of the officials.