'Missions in Pak should be allowed to function in keeping with Vienna Convention'

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

The government today said it has made it clear to that diplomatic missions should be allowed to function normally in keeping with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the bilateral Code of Conduct.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, said the Indian government, from time to time, has taken up the incidents of harassment, aggressive surveillance and intimidation of officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, and also the obstacles placed in the early completion of residential complex for mission staff.

The Pakistani side was asked to resolve these issues and ensure safety and security of India's and its diplomatic and consular officials, said in response to a question on whether the government was aware of the harassment faced by the diplomats of and as a retaliatory action.

"The government has made it clear that respective diplomatic missions should be allowed to function normally in keeping with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, and the bilateral Code of Conduct signed by the two countries in 1992," said.

and in March had mutually agreed to resolve matters related to the treatment of diplomats and diplomatic premises, in line with the 1992 Code of Conduct for the treatment of diplomatic and consular personnel in and Pakistan, said.

The implementation of this understanding is regularly followed up through diplomatic channels, he said.

To another question on whether any incident regarding tampering with of the has come to the notice of the government, Singh said no such case has been reported.

However, he said there have been reported instances of fraudulent phone calls received by Indian nationals living in the US, probably by spoofing the land line number of the mission.

The mission in has asked the local authorities concerned and took up the matter with the provider, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Wed, July 18 2018. 18:55 IST