Pakistan, India 'mutually agree' to resolve tension

Pakistan and India have "mutually agreed" to resolve the latest diplomatic tension started over the alleged harassment of diplomats at each other's capitals through a bilateral treaty signed between the two countries on August 19, 1992. "India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to resolve matters related to the treatment of diplomats and diplomatic premises, in line with the 1992 'Code of Conduct' for treatment of Diplomatic/Consular personnel in India and Pakistan," stated a brief press release, simultaneously by Foreign Office here and the Indian External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi.
The bilateral treaty calls for facilitating, on reciprocal basis, the smooth and unhindered functioning of their diplomatic and consular officials in conformity with recognized norms of international law and practice. Earlier this month, after a series of incidents of harassment of Pakistani diplomats and other staff of the Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi, Pakistan lodged a strong protest with India by summoning its Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh over the harassment and intimidation of officials and their family members by Indian state agencies.
"The total apathy and failure of the Indian government to put a halt to these despicable incidents, sparing not even young children, indicates both a lack of capacity to protect foreign diplomats posted in India or a more reprehensible, complicit unwillingness to do so," Foreign Office said on March 13, 2018, emphasizing that under the Vienna Convention, the safety and the security of Pakistani diplomats and their families is the responsibility of the Indian government.
India had also alleged Pakistani authorities for harassing its diplomats in Islamabad. "Indian High Commission in Pakistan is facing many issues. We've reached out through established diplomatic channels to Islamabad. We want that our Commission in Islamabad functions smoothly, the officials are not harassed, their work is not obstructed and that the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, 1961 is abided by," Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a press briefing on March 15.