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Pakistani envoy Sohail Mahmood returning to India

On Thursday, Mahmood is hosting a reception for which invitations have been extended to Kashmiri separatists, politicians, intellectuals and journalists

Pakistani envoy Sohail Mahmood returning to India

Sohail Mahmood (Photo: Twitter)

Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood is set to return to India on Thursday even as the two countries continue trading charges over incidents of harassment of each other’s diplomats in respective missions.

Diplomatic sources said Mahmood, who was called back to Islamabad for consultations last week in the midst of the Indo-Pak row over treatment of diplomats, would be returning tonight.

On Friday morning, he would hoist his country’s flag at a function at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on the occasion of the 70th Pakistan National Day. In the evening, he is scheduled to host a reception at the mission for which invitations have been extended to separatists Kashmiris, Indian politicians, leading intellectuals and journalists.

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Over the past week, India and Pakistan have accused each other of violating the Vienna Convention that provides security to serving diplomats to be able to conduct their duties in host nations.

India had last week described the Pakistan High Commissioner’s departure for Islamabad as a ‘routine affair’ even as the Pakistani media reported that the envoy would not return to New Delhi until the stand-off between the two countries over the treatment of diplomats was resolved.

Both India and Pakistan have over the past few days circulated videos as evidence that their respective staff and their children have been chased on streets dangerously, photographed and bullied by unknown persons.

India has sent more than a dozen note verbale to lodge protests against intimidation of its officials posted in Islamabad.

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