Tensions between India and Pakistan have taken a fresh turn, with Islamabad resorting to targeted curbs on basic amenities for Indian High Commission staff – a move described as “deliberate, premeditated, and in breach of the Vienna Convention”.
In a fresh twist to the already frosty diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan, Islamabad has reportedly cut off the supply of water, gas and newspapers to the Indian High Commission staff – a move seen as a link to Pakistan’s stinging embarrassment following the revelations of Operation Sindoor and New Delhi’s decisive enforcement of the Indus Water Treaty. According to reports, top Indian officials describe the move as a “deliberate, premeditated, and in breach of the Vienna Convention” assault on diplomatic norms.
Top government sources told CNN-News18 that the measures are part of a pattern of “petty retaliation” orchestrated by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), aimed at disrupting the living and working conditions of Indian diplomats in Islamabad.
Despite Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) having installed gas pipelines to the High Commission compound, supply has been intentionally withheld. Local gas cylinder vendors—once a lifeline for cooking and heating—have reportedly been coerced into cutting off sales to Indian personnel. This has forced diplomats and their families to seek scarce and costly alternatives in the open market.
The mission’s contracted drinking water supplier has been barred from making deliveries, with vendors across Islamabad allegedly instructed to deny clean drinking water to Indian diplomats—forcing them to either rely on unsafe tap water or invest in extensive filtration systems. In further attempt to restrict information flow, newspaper vendors have been told to stop supplying publications to the mission altogether. The measure is being interpreted by Indian officials as a calculated effort to isolate diplomats from regular access to print media and limit their awareness of local narratives and developments.
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India and Pakistan have had no high-level bilateral talks since the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent Balakot airstrikes. Recent months saw fresh strains after Operation Sindoor, which dealt a significant blow to Pakistan-based terrorists targeting Indian security interests, and after India acted firmly to enforce the Indus Water Treaty provisions in its favour.