Daily Times

NEW DELHI: In yet another sign of growing hostility between the two nations over recent developments in held Kashmir, India has asked its diplomats and other officials to withdraw their kids from local schools in Islamabad, The Times of India newspaper quoting official sources reported on Monday.

Indian officials can either send their kids back to India or return themselves. “What it means is that no Indian official based in Pakistan can have his or her children living with them. Those who seek a posting in Pakistan will have to keep that in mind too,” an official said. He added that the spouses, however, could remain in Pakistan for now.

There are about 50 children of Indian officials currently studying in Islamabad’s American School. Indian officials did not rule out the possibility of a “tit-for-tat” response by Islamabad in the form of recall of children of Pakistan diplomats from India. “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.”

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that with effect from this academic session, the 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.