NEW DELHI, Feb 8 (2003) – India on Saturday expelled Pakistan’s acting ambassador and four other embassy staff, telling them to leave the country within 48 hours.
Foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters Acting High Commissioner “Jalil Abbas Jilani…has been found indulging in activities incompatible with his official status and his withdrawal from India is sought within the next 48 hours”.
He said four other mission staff had also been asked to leave.
The announcement came after Indian police accused Jilani of funding separatists in Indian Kashmir. The allegations followed the arrest on Thursday of two Kashmiri separatists and the recovery of 622,000 rupees ($13,040) police alleged was intended to fund militant activities in Kashmir.
Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars and came close to a fourth last year over Kashmir, last month engaged in tit-for-tat expulsions of each other’s diplomats amid accusations of spying.
