india

Updated: May 04, 2019 21:38 IST

India has conveyed to Pakistan its concerns about the security of its high commission in Islamabad and complained about the harassment of two of its diplomats by intelligence personnel last month, people familiar with developments said on Saturday.

Concerns about the security of the high commission were conveyed in a demarche submitted to Pakistan’s Foreign Office recently, the people said. They declined to go into the details of the security threat but indicated it was a serious matter.

In a separate note verbale sent to the Pakistani side on April 25, India protested about the harassment and detention of two of its diplomats at Sacha Sauda Gurdwara near Lahore on April 17.

The diplomats, who were at the shrine to facilitate Indian pilgrims, were locked up in a room for close to half an hour by about 15 Pakistani intelligence personnel, the people said. The intelligence operatives also questioned the diplomats and searched their belongings, they added.

Before letting the diplomats go, the intelligence personnel warned them not to come back to the area, the people said.

The note verbale asked the Pakistani side to conduct an inquiry into the matter and to ensure such incidents did not occur again.

Indian diplomats have been repeatedly harassed while trying to assist and facilitate visiting Sikh pilgrims at several gurdwaras in Punjab province. Indians pilgrims have also been confronted with propaganda by pro-Khalistan groups.