Islamabad:Stung by the Modi government’s decision to turn Article 370 into a dead letter, Pakistan expelled India’s high commissioner Ajay Bisaria on Wednesday to protest against the decision which strips Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and splits the state into two Union territories.

With the Indian move, backed by big margins in both Houses of Parliament, signalling a resolve to bind J&K even more tightly to India, Pakistan sought to hit back and also declared it will suspend all bilateral trade. The actions seem intended to assure domestic audiences, including anti-India terror groups, which have for long been assured of Pakistan’s support for the Kashmir cause. Sources feel that Pakistan could also be seeking to create a spectre of an imminent military escalation to scare the Trump administration into nudging India to start negotiations over J&K with US in a mediator’s role. 

Pakistan also said it will take the Indian decisions on J&K to the United Nations, including the Security Council, while its independence day on August 14 will be observed as a protest and solidarity day.

The last time an envoy was expelled was in 2002 after terror attacks in India, including the one on Parliament when New Delhi asked then Pakistan high commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi to withdraw. This, however, did not happen in the immediate wake of the Parliament attack on December 13, 2001. India first recalled its own envoy Vijay Nambiar from Pakistan in early 2002, but Pakistan did not resort to a tit-for-tat response, allowing its HC to stay put in New Delhi. India expelled Qazi after the attack on the military camp at Kaluchak in May 2002. 

The decisions were announced after a marathon meeting of the national security council chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday. Pakistan said it would downgrade diplomatic relations and suspend all trade with India. The NSC headed by PM is Pakistan’s top civil-military body.

The meeting also promised to review all bilateral agreements with the NSC mandated to take crucial decisions on security and foreign affairs even as the Pakistan army has a crucial role in these matters. The NSC meeting was called to review the situation inside J&K and along the Line of Control. 

The Indian action is a frontal challenge to Pakistan’s efforts to internationalise the J&K dispute and seeks to fundamentally alter the nature of any India-Pakistan discussions in future talks with the removal of the “special status” tag. It is also a snub to expectations that the US need for Pakistani assistance in exiting Afghanistan will lead to increased pressure on India to renew talks on J&K. 

Former diplomat Arun Singh, who was in charge of the Pakistan desk, said, “The Imran government clearly feels itself under pressure domestically to be seen as doing something, especially as India’s action has punctured the myth of major gains related to the Kashmir issue after the Trump meeting. They will want to test if precipitating a sense of tension and crisis will enhance international activism, which they will want to project domestically as a success of their efforts.” 

“Our ambassadors will no longer be in New Delhi and their counterparts here will also be sent back,” said foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Pakistan’s new ambassador-designate Moeen-ul-Haq has not yet arrived in India, nor has he presented credentials, which means he is technically not even a high commissioner. 

Gautam Bambawale, former high commissioner to Pakistan, said, “This is an over-reaction by Pakistan. The measures and steps we have taken are our internal, domestic matter. Pakistan has no locus standi in it. Of course, they are welcome to downgrade relations. By asking our HC to return to India they are removing an important channel of communication.” 

While Pakistan ordered stoppage of trade with India, it wasn’t actually happening. India decided to withdraw MFN status to Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack earlier this year, and slapped a 200% customs duty on Pakistani apparel and cement.