Our Bureau
New Delhi
India on Friday described the removal of temporary structures outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as a “proportionate action” in response to similar measures taken by Pakistani authorities outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan had removed some structures outside the Indian diplomatic mission to facilitate parking despite New Delhi’s request that the move be avoided. India subsequently removed temporary structures located in the lane outside the Pakistan High Commission.
“Some of the structures in front of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan were removed for the convenience of parking,” Jaiswal said during the MEA’s media briefing, adding that India had requested Pakistan not to proceed.
The Indian action, carried out on Thursday, reportedly included the removal of queue-management installations outside the Pakistan High Commission’s visa section. Authorities also removed traffic bollards and barricades around the diplomatic compound. Visuals from the site showed debris, broken railings, metal frames and other construction material scattered outside the mission.
Government sources said the structures removed in New Delhi were temporary installations located in the lane outside the diplomatic compound. The main entrance of the Pakistan High Commission was not affected.
The reciprocal actions come amid already strained India-Pakistan relations. Diplomatic ties have remained tense since the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military escalation between the two countries.
Officials indicated that New Delhi viewed its latest step as a measured response to Islamabad’s earlier action. The development has added another layer to the ongoing diplomatic friction between the two neighbours.