Pak gets reciprocity

Pakistan has summoned High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood to Islamabad to signal its concerns and displeasure at alleged Indian acts of harassment of its diplomats and their family members in Delhi. It had earlier issued official statements giving an account of some of these alleged incidents. These have included obstructing the car of the children of its Deputy High Commissioner and of some of its diplomats. Are these developments linked to the current climate of bilateral tension? Or is India finally acting on the principle of reciprocity, which is the true norm of inter-state relations, especially in these aspects?

There is no doubt that traditionally Pakistan has pursued a deliberate policy of harassment and intimidation of Indian diplomats and their families. The actions are calibrated; thus, those diplomats who are more active in seeking to meet and hold discussions with Pakistanis face more intimidation. It is also calibrated according to the state of bilateral relations: there is greater harassment in times of increased tensions. Of course, all this is against the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the courtesy that countries are expected to show to enable diplomats to do their official duties. Openly meeting well-informed people in the country of accreditation is part of accepted diplomatic practice.

The pattern of Pakistani harassment of diplomats includes obtrusive and intense physical surveillance and obstruction of movement of vehicles. As part of following diplomats and their families, Pakistani intelligence agents have been known to follow them into shops and restaurants and to homes where they are invited. Rude phone calls to spouses and children are made to pressure them and through them the diplomat concerned. Even the Head of Mission faces such harassment sometimes. Most Indian diplomats in Pakistan develop strong nerves and take these pressures well.

There are times, however, when Pakistani actions go beyond the usual harassment. Violent actions against Indian diplomats have been undertaken from time to time. Vehicles tailing Indian diplomats' cars subject them to dangerous driving. And, on rare occasions, Pakistani intelligence agents have entered the homes of junior officials and dragged them out, causing injuries to spouses and children who have tried to come to their assistance. One such incident took place in the mid-90s and is within the personal knowledge of this writer.

Pakistan's object is to keep Indian diplomats and staff of the Indian High Commission under constant pressure so that they are demoralised and become dis-spirited. Naturally, diplomats who are unnerved are unable to focus on their duties. It is a tribute to Indian diplomats that most of the time they are able to take these pressures in their stride and do not allow them to impact on their functioning. The question is, why should a country allow its diplomats to be in such situations?

Another object of the mal-treatment of Indian diplomats is to intimidate Pakistani citizens from meeting them. Only the very brave or those who are powerful and influential or those who are cleared by the Pakistani agencies meet Indian diplomats. Thus, Pakistanis who meet Indian diplomats are aggressively questioned, often as soon as their meetings or social events conclude.

Pakistani diplomats privately acknowledge that they have a much easier and better time in Delhi than their Indian counterparts in Islamabad. If they get to know an Indian diplomat well, they attribute this to the general conduct and behaviour of the ISI. They admit that in such matters, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry has little control. In India, on the other hand, the Ministry of External Affairs is in the driver's seat in matters relating to diplomats.

There is one other point. All countries maintain discreet surveillance, especially on diplomats of target countries. This is to ensure that they are observing internationally accepted conventions. Diplomats learn how to handle this as part of their duties, for there is no element of coercion or harassment. But Pakistani conduct with Indian diplomats, at any time, does not fall within these parameters.

Taking it in their stride

India has never applied the principle of reciprocity to bring Pakistan to its senses in its treatment of Indian diplomats. This is partly, and ironically, because Indian diplomats take Pakistan's boorish behaviour in their stride. It is also because of a desire to take the high moral ground with the international community. The fact that India's culture also demands that guests and diplomats are treated with courtesy and respect also plays a part.

Another reason is that as India's society is open and liberal, Pakistani diplomats develop a good circle of friends here - nothing wrong in that -- who lend them a patient ear if they complain of mistreatment. For this reason, Pakistan has gone to the media now, hoping to get sympathy from liberals in India who may link this to the Modi government's generally assertive posture against Pakistan.

Thus, only when Pakistan has resorted to violence, or abducted Indian Mission staff or has acted unacceptably against very senior diplomats has sanction been given to apply reciprocity. Perhaps now is one such occasion. Pakistan has to be made to realise that its routine misconduct is also unacceptable. Even now, it is creating problems for the Indian Mission residential complex under construction.

If now the Pakistanis want to raise the ante by pulling out diplomats' families or take any other action regarding their Mission, India should not get fazed. It is doubtful if the international community would really seek to intervene on this bilateral issue. Besides, it knows that Pakistan's conduct with foreign diplomats is generally poor. India must act to ensure that its diplomats in Pakistan are always treated with respect and courtesy and not intimidated. It's only their due.

(The writer is retired Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs)