New Delhi, Aug 11: Tensions between India and Pakistan have deepened, with New Delhi accusing Islamabad of deliberately curbing essential supplies to Indian High Commission staff in a move described by top government sources as “deliberate, premeditated, and in breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”
The restrictions, sources say, come in the wake of the Indian Army’s successful Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-based terrorists and India’s firm enforcement of provisions under the Indus Water Treaty. The measures are being viewed as “petty retaliation” orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to disrupt the living and working conditions of Indian diplomats posted in Islamabad.
According to officials, Pakistan’s Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) has installed gas pipelines at the Indian mission premises but has deliberately withheld supply. Local gas cylinder vendors, who earlier provided cooking and heating fuel, have allegedly been instructed by Pakistani authorities not to sell to Indian staff. This has forced diplomats and their families to hunt for scarce and expensive alternatives in the open market, often without success.
The harassment has extended to drinking water. The mission’s contracted mineral water supplier has been blocked from delivering, and all vendors in Islamabad reportedly told not to sell bottled water to the High Commission. Officials stress that local tap water is unsafe for consumption without heavy filtration, making the ban a serious health concern.
In a further measure, newspaper vendors have been ordered to stop supplying publications to the mission, a step Indian officials interpret as a calculated attempt to isolate diplomats from local narratives and developments.
Government sources said these actions violate the Vienna Convention, which guarantees the smooth functioning of embassies and the safety and dignity of their personnel. They argue the move erodes the already fragile framework of India–Pakistan relations and reflects Islamabad’s pattern of employing non-traditional, non-diplomatic pressure tactics instead of engaging in dialogue.
India and Pakistan have not held high-level bilateral talks since the 2019 Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent Balakot airstrikes. Relations have further soured in recent months after Operation Sindoor dealt a significant blow to Pakistan-based terrorist networks targeting Indian interests, and New Delhi took decisive steps to implement the Indus Water Treaty in its favour.
New Delhi is expected to take up the matter through diplomatic channels, reiterating that such measures undermine established international protocols and could further strain an already tense relationship between the two neighbours. (Agencies)
