March 12, 2003	Wednesday	Muharram 8, 1424

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NEW DELHI, March 11: Pakistan’s new acting high commissioner to New Delhi took up his post here on Tuesday, a month after India expelled his predecessor over charges he funded Kashmiri freedom fighters.

“Munawar Saeed Bhatti has taken charge of the high commission,” the mission’s press officer, Kamran Ali Khan, told Reuters.

India expelled the previous acting ambassador, Jalil Abbas Jilani, after police accused him of giving money to the freedom fighters. Four colleagues were also expelled.

Pakistan, which denied the allegations, responded by expelling India’s acting high commissioner from Islamabad and four other members of staff at the Indian mission.

The two countries soon afterward issued visas to allow each to send replacement diplomats, but analysts said the move did not signal an easing of tension.

India has said another diplomat, T.C.A. Raghavan, will be Mr Bhatti’s counterpart in Islamabad, but he has yet to take up the position. —Reuters