Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India have reached a boiling point as both countries expelled each other’s diplomatic staff in a tit-for-tat move, signaling deepening diplomatic and military hostilities following the recent Pahalgam false-flag operation.
On Tuesday, Pakistan declared an Indian High Commission staffer in Islamabad persona non grata, accusing the official of engaging in activities “inconsistent with diplomatic norms.” The Indian Charge d’Affaires was urgently summoned to the Foreign Office, where Islamabad issued a formal démarche and ordered the staffer to leave within 24 hours.
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This came just hours after New Delhi expelled another Pakistani diplomat—identified as Rahim, a visa assistant at the Pakistani High Commission—also declaring him persona non grata. According to diplomatic sources, Rahim must leave India within a day.
So far, India has expelled a total of 23 Pakistani officials, with 22 already having returned home in earlier waves. The expulsions began shortly after the April 23 high-level security meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where aggressive diplomatic and border control measures against Pakistan were approved. These included visa restrictions for Pakistani diplomats and the immediate expulsion of Pakistan’s Defence Attaché in New Delhi. India has further demanded that all remaining Pakistani diplomatic staff leave within seven days.
Pakistan Air Force strikes back
As diplomatic relations worsen, the war has also spilled over into armed conflict. Pakistan’s retaliatory raids under Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos have apparently dealt a hard blow to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Pakistan Air Force (PAF) conducted precision attacks, successfully shooting down several IAF fighter aircraft in a bold demonstration of force.
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One Indian jet is reported to have crashed in the Anantnag region, with the pilot feared dead. The aircraft’s ejection seat was recovered near Gadool, Kokernag. In a separate incident, another IAF jet reportedly went down near Pampore or Pulwama, critically injuring both pilots who were later moved to a hospital in Srinagar.
The PAF’s response marks one of the most serious escalations in recent years, signaling that the fallout from the Pahalgam incident has moved well beyond rhetoric and into high-stakes retaliation.
A diplomatic crisis unfolding
With both sides hardening their stances, and diplomatic channels shrinking rapidly, fears of a broader conflict are rising. The back-to-back expulsions reflect not just deteriorating relations but also the larger strategic standoff that has been unfolding since India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and issued direct threats against Pakistan.
