India, Pakistan expel diplomats over ‘suspicious activities’

New Delhi announced it was expelling a Pakistani visa official for suspected spying, with Islamabad responding by saying it would send back an Indian diplomat in an apparent tit-for-tat move, reports AFP.

The expulsions come as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours are running high over their disputed territory of Kashmir.

New Delhi police said the Pakistani official had been recruiting Indian nationals for two and a half years to spy for Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in return for cash.

“Delhi police crime branch has busted an espionage racket run by a kingpin working in the Pakistan high commission,” said Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police on crime.

The official, named as Mehmood Akhtar, was detained on Wednesday with documents in his possession on Indian troop deployment along the border, Yadav told a press conference in Delhi.

“They used to meet once in a month at a pre-decided place to exchange documents and money,” he said.

Akhtar was later released, he added.