ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has told both Indian journalists stationed in Islamabad that they must leave within a week, the journalists told Reuters on Wednesday, saying they had been informed that their visas would not be renewed.

Late on Tuesday night, Snehesh Alex Philip of The Press Trust of India and Meena Menon of The Hindu received letters telling them that their visas would not be renewed.

No reason was given.

Both had been in Pakistan for less than a year.

Their visas were valid until March 9, 2014 and both had submitted applications to renew their visas before the expiration date, according to people familiar with the matter.

After their original visas expired, they were issued letters stating that their visa renewals were being processed, as is standard practice for foreign journalists in Pakistan.

Later they were told to start making preparations to leave within a week.

Last year, the government expelled a reporter from The New York Times.