Pakistan’s High Commission in the Crosshairs

Pahalgam incident, an alarming trend of state sponsored aggression and diplomatic bullying has gushed up in India, against the High Commission and diplomatic personnel of Pakistan based in New Delhi. This calculated outbreak of intimidation and psychological torture on a larger scale is a contrived effort of the Indian state machinery aided by an aggressive and colluding media to scapegoat Pakistan out of its current failures, and that to help by pass the common people’s attention, on the looming domestic issues here. Though it is a tragic and undoubtedly very regrettable incident.
Pahalgam episode has served as a ready pre text to the Indian government and media houses to initiate a virulent anti-Pakistan campaign that is not only against the conventions of civil diplomacy but also against the conventions of international law. Pakistan has been witnessing a steep rise in the language and acts of demonizing the Pakistani diplomatic post in India in the days that have passed since the incident. The issue that used to be the prerogative of extremist nationalist forces is now turned into a normal policy as the government linked media, television channels and political figures have entered a mad campaign of falsely detailing Pakistani representatives in the foreign countries and jeopardizing their personal security, privacy and the ability to work.
This campaign is coordinated on a larger scale unmatched in the contemporary history. Indian media has been the key to fuelling hysteria among the people and demonizing the Pakistani mission, especially the more popular sensational media, such as Republic TV. The officials of the High Commission have been subjected to baseless allegations even to the extent of being named publicly by a senior Pakistani diplomat like Mr. Ehsan ur Rahim without even a modicum of substantiative evidence being produced against him, or those working under him with the High Commission to have been involved in either an illegal or in some activity of espionage. Such reckless display is a serious infringement of diplomatic norms and threat to the personal lives of the Pakistani employees including their wives, kids living in India. The practice of naming and shaming that were conducted in prime-time television does not only break the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations but also incites a mob mentality, leaving the diplomats at the threat of being attacked by the mob and the risk of being physically assaulted.
On top of this eruption of climate of fear are the bursitis of the protests and slogans that were shouted outside the premises of the Pakistan High Commission. Such protests, which are sanctioned and in certain instances, it appears that it is being incited by the Indian authorities have seen the calls of violence against the Pakistani officials’ threats of physical assault and demeaning of national emblems of Pakistan. That such protest is even permitted outside an external mission is a condemning statement of Indian failure to observe its international duty. The Vienna Convention gives the host country the first duty in ensuring that diplomatic missions, in its territory, are secure, inviolable, and dignified which the Indian state has spicily violated in this case.
Indian media has sinisterly redefined even the normal harmless diplomatic activities to suit the story of villainization. Giving one of the most classic examples of such form of manipulation was the recent hand over of a mere cake box to the High Commission of Pakistan which was shamefully displayed as a morbid celebration of the Pahalgam tragedy by the Indian television channels. This kind of misrepresentation is both inaccurate and ridiculous, just as it is a provocative measure which is meant to fuel further anger and misconception in the people. Causing the media and political society of India to intentionally inflame the flames of anti-Pakistanis by propagating the idea of provocative everyday diplomatic interaction, the power structure of India is effectively creating a climate of hostility to Pakistani diplomats and jeopardizes their mental and functional states.
Behind this engineered media hysteria is an even more menacing plan of psychological warfare and isolation of the diplomatic scene. Contrary to the pursuance of building an amicable relationship with Pakistan by adopting constructive engagement via diplomatic means between the two nations to settle their concerns India seems determined to vilify the existence of Pakistan in New Delhi. This is not going to be dialogue or resolution but a coercive measure thrusting Pakistani representatives into a state of siege whereby their freedom of movement, their freedom of expression and their freedom of engagement is restricted by the ever-present shadow of popular hostility reinforced by state sponsored abuse. It is part of a wider trend of holding back the diplomatic discourse of Pakistan and frustrating its engagement in India, a gambit of fear instead of dialogue and aggression instead of collaboration.
Political reasons of this campaign are visible. With a whole lot of problems internally, including an economy that is stagnated. The Indian government in search of easy targets to fight against itself finds a ready one in Pakistan to vent its frustrations. The Pahalgam case which to till today the actual culprits remain unknown until a believable investigation is carried out has been sinisterly drawn upon to ignite the flames of nationalism and divert the attention of the people of India in this country.
Instead of waiting to hear the results of the unbiased investigative machinery, the political leadership and the media of New Delhi have jumped the gun and tried to pin the blame on Pakistan, making this tragedy an excuse to indulge their overall anti-Pakistan stance. The accusations made on the Pakistani High Commission, especially the accusations of its being a centre of espionage and subversion are pure political fabrications with no solid evidence. Their most likely purpose is the internal diversionary tactic, rather than the reality of what really exists and the underinsurance of unscathed, unsuspecting diplomatic personnel whose only fault is to be the representative of a country in an ever-antagonistic land.
Pakistan completely denounces these unwarranted allegations and feels extremely concerned over the unsystematic harassment its diplomats are subjected to in India. Islamabad regards such a tendency as a clear breach of diplomatic rules and also an insult to the fundamental principles according to which international relations should be conducted in order to become civilized states. Being a responsible part of the international community and a signatory to the Vienna Convention, the Republic of India is bound to offer undisturbed protection and immunity to the foreign diplomatic service irrespective of any political hostilities and rifts. The fact that it has not helped avert the vilification, harassment against the mind and security threats against Pakistani diplomats acts as a grave violation of its responsibility and may create a rather scary precedent in which diplomatic norms can be eroded all over the world.
The government of Pakistan has therefore also issued serious protests with the Indian government to take immediate corrective measures to bring back the security and dignity of its diplomatic mission in New Delhi. Islamabad demands that India should discharge its international legal duties which include, ceasing its provocative media reports, blocking violent anti-Pakistan crowds around High Commission, and the safety of each and every Pakistani staff member and his family. Short of this would be a further violation of India of its duties toward the international law and would require corresponding action to protect the integrity of its own diplomacy in Pakistan.
Even the international community cannot afford to sit back with this high level of misconduct. Various reports about systematic harassment of foreign diplomats amount to an attack on the very core of the international diplomatic system, which can operate only based on the premise of mutual respect, legal immunity and the inviolability of a diplomatic space. By not speaking up and raising an issue against any country that behaves this way with the Pakistani High Commission, India can end up setting a rather threatening precedent in which diplomats in any country are simply potential victims of political witch hunt and media witch hunting. This kind of compromise in diplomatic immunity would undermine the principles of international interaction and peaceful resolution of conflicts and dialogues will be more and more challenging.
Pakistan, on its part has been following the values of peaceful coexistence dialogue and constructive diplomacy. Islamabad is actively pursuing the engagement and cooperation proposal with New Delhi to settle bilateral issues including the contentious theme of the Pahalgam incident including credible and independent track. But this can only be achieved where there is mutual respect and diplomatic decorum which India presently does much to damage with her current policy of harassment. As long as New Delhi continues with its state sponsored bullying and neglects its international responsibilities, diplomatic potential will be dismal.