A FRESH set of crises has caused Pakistan-India relations — in the doldrums after last month’s Uri attack — to plunge to even lower depths. On Thursday, India decided to expel a staffer of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for “espionage activities” after the individual had been detained by the Indian law-enforcement authorities. Delhi police claimed the Pakistani diplomat had been in possession of sensitive documents. The Foreign Office has rejected the Indian allegations as “false and unsubstantiated”, adding that New Delhi’s actions violate the protocols of the Vienna Convention. Meanwhile, the situation on the Working Boundary continues to remain tense, as an exchange of fire between both countries’ security forces was also reported on Thursday. A day earlier, two Pakistani civilians were killed after the Indian Border Security Force resorted to mortar shelling. At least four people have been killed in the exchange of fire on the Pakistani side since Monday, while the military claims a number of Indian soldiers died in retaliatory fire. Similar tensions were witnessed last week along the Line of Control.

Considering the atmosphere currently prevailing in the subcontinent, both Islamabad and New Delhi must handle both crises with care and sagacity. On the diplomatic front, the incident concerning the Pakistani diplomat in Delhi should not be allowed to escalate into a nasty exchange of rhetoric or result in tit-for-tat moves. Whatever concerns either side has should be communicated through diplomatic channels and resolved. On the military front, there should be immediate de-escalation and stoppage of cross-border fire. Apart from the tragic loss of life, normal routines in the affected areas have been severely disrupted due to the hostilities. As reported in this paper, residents of border areas have had to move to safer locations in other parts of Punjab, while there have also been school closures in Sialkot district. While the government may be preoccupied with the political storm making its way towards Islamabad, it needs to remain alert and handle growing tensions with India with statesmanship and resolve. Normalisation and peace between Pakistan and India may appear to be a distant dream at this juncture; however, the least both states can do is to not ratchet up levels of animosity. This can be done by keeping the diplomatic and military channels of communication open between both sides, and avoiding aggressive public posturing and statements.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2016