India has asked diplomats and officials serving in its high commission in Islamabad to make arrangements for the education of their wards outside Pakistan this academic session onwards, a move seen as a worsening of India-Pakistan ties. “Pakistan will not abandon Kashmiris struggle to right to self-determination”, he said while addressing a rally in Muzaffarabad.
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When the new academic session began in Islamabad in April, school-going children of Indian diplomats did not return to their schools, as majority had already been taken out of Pakistan following an adverse security assessment the previous year.
There are about 50 children of Indian officials now studying in Islamabad’s American School.
“Here again, India can not ignore the fact that over 200,000 Kashmiris participated in the funeral prayers of Burhan Muzaffar Wani in 50 different locations throughout the Indian occupied Kashmir despite strict curfew clamped in the Valley, which still continues 15 days after Wani’s extrajudicial murder on 8 July 2016”.
Both the Foreign Office and the school authorities had reportedly requested the Indian government to review the decision, but New Delhi is said to have refused.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nafees Zakari said in Islamabad that “this is an informal, internal and administrative arrangement” they were communicated two months back.
Since they split some 67 years ago, India and Pakistan have fought each other in three wars, two over Kashmir.
The same applies to children of Pakistan’s diplomats in Delhi. No school going and no-spouse assignments are reserved for areas like Libya and Iraq, which are termed as conflict zones.
India’s reaction came amidst provocative statements issued on near-daily basis by Pakistan government and Sharif.
Vikas, meanwhile, said India has asked Pakistani government to provide foolproof security to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad following the protests outside it against the recent killings in Kashmir. For school trips planned outside Pakistan, these students have to seek prior approval from the Pakistani Foreign Office. The diplomatic missions may be “no-kid” missions or they may include family travel.
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At least 45 people have been killed and more than 3,400 injured in the violent clashes between protesters and security forces since Wani’s death. Their children are ferried to and from schools in these vehicles.
