March 6, 2002	Wednesday	Zilhaj 21, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

NEW DELHI, March 5: India said on Tuesday it was expelling two Pakistani embassy staffers for spying.

Foreign Office spokeswoman Nirupama Rao said the Indian government had sought the withdrawal of Sultan Mohammad and Mohammad Gulzarin for “indulging in activities in violation of their diplomatic status”.

“The Pakistani embassy in New Delhi was informed on Monday to make sure they leave the country within a week,” said Rao. India had said on Saturday that it had detained a junior Pakistani diplomat and his driver after they were “caught red-handed” accepting secret documents from a local contact.

Pakistan had denied the allegations and said the two staffers were abducted, illegally detained and beaten by Indian intelligence officials. Rao also said India was preparing an official complaint regarding the “harassment” of its diplomats in Islamabad by “Pakistani operatives”. —AFP