India orders halving of embassy staffs

India’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Vikram Misri said that Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to use special travel documents to enter India

India will cut staff at its embassy in Islamabad and has ordered Pakistan’s embassy in New Delhi to do so forthwith, said Minister of State Shri Vikram Misri.

“The total number of embassy employees will be reduced from the current 55 to 30 through further reductions to be made by May 1, 2025,” he said at a news conference.

According to Misri, Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to use special travel documents to enter India, papers that are issued to certain categories of dignitaries under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Visa Exemption Scheme.

“Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India,” the Minister said.

Exemptions under the scheme cover dignitaries, judges of higher courts, parliamentarians, senior officials, businessmen, journalists and sportsmen.