India lodges strong protest over reported arrest of two Indian High Commission officials

The matter has been taken up with Pakistan authorities, according to defence sources

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India on Monday summoned the Pakistan charge d’affaires and lodged a strong protest to him over the reported arrest of two officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

Pakistani media reported that two Indian staffers, who went missing on Monday morning, were arrested by Pakistani authorities for their alleged involvement in a “hit and run accident".

Official sources said the Pakistan charge d’affaires (CDA) was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and a demarche was issued to him over the reported arrest of the two officials.

In the demarche, it was made clear to the Pakistani CDA that there should be no interrogation or harassment of the Indian officials and the responsibility for their safety and security lay squarely with the Pakistani authorities, they said.

The sources said the Pakistan side was asked to return the two officials along with the official car to the High Commission immediately.

Two officials arrested

Earlier on Monday, two Indian High Commission officials in Pakistan are missing for the last two hours and the matter was taken up with Pakistan authorities, defence sources said.

“One vehicle with two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) drivers had gone out for duty but did not reach the destination,” defence sources said.

(with PTI inputs)