Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India has been called home to discuss claims of intimidation and harassment in New Delhi, as the south Asian rivals swapped accusations of mistreatment of their diplomats - including bizarre allegations of spies ringing doorbells and running away.

Sohail Mahmood has returned to Islamabad after 26 incidents were reported by Pakistani envoys in Delhi in the past eight days, including two allegations their children were approached at school.

India responded by saying its diplomats had recently been abused and vilified in Islamabad.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said Islamabad’s pleas to Indian officials to investigate the incidents had fallen on deaf ears.

“Our High Commissioner in New Delhi has been asked to come to Islamabad for consultations,” he said.

The blame has on the surface been placed on hostile members of the public, but both countries implied the hand of spies - India’s Intelligence Bureau and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) - were behind the spate of aggressive acts, using old fashioned espionage tactics, apparently now mixed with playground pranks.

Indian deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, J P Singh, said his doorbell was rung at 3am last week, and no one was there when he answered the door.