Pakistan and India ordered the expulsion of each other's diplomats Saturday, less than a week after the two nuclear rivals pledged to push their shaky peace process forward.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry accused Deepak Kaul, a councilor at India's embassy in Islamabad, of engaging in activities incompatible with his diplomatic status.
The ministry said he was caught "red handed" with sensitive documents. But India says Kaul was detained while on his way to the Wagah border crossing to meet his family. Indian officials say he was handcuffed, blindfolded and held for several hours before being handed over to Indian diplomats.
Hours later, India responded by ordering Mohammed Rafique, a councilor at the Pakistani embassy in New Delhi, to leave the country. No reason was given for his expulsion.
Relations between India and Pakistan have improved in recent years. There have been ongoing peace talks about the status of the disputed region of Kashmir, and as part of those talks, India and Pakistan have exchanged prisoners and begun new cross-border transportation links.
However, tensions increased after India linked Pakistan-based militants to the July 11 Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) train bombings that killed nearly 200 people and wounded 700 others.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
