India asks mission officials in Pakistan to send wards away for studies

New Delhi/Islamabad, July 25 (IANS) The government on Monday directed its officials in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to send their wards outside Pakistan for their education, a move Pakistan described an “internal, administrative arrangement” .

"It is a normal practice for all countries to review staffing and related policies for their diplomatic missions, including in view of prevailing circumstances at those stations," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in response to a question.

"With effect from this academic session, officials posted in the High Commission of India in Islamabad have been advised to make arrangements for education of their wards outside Pakistan, till further notice," he said.

The decision in this connection was taken in June last year to give sufficient time to the mission's officials to make alternative arrangements for continuing the education of their wards.

"This is an informal, internal, administrative arrangement we were informed of two months back,” Nafees Zakaria, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson, said in a statement.

“No other considerations were communicated to us," he added.