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Pakistan Downgrades Ties With India as Tensions Rise Over Kashmir

Ayaz Gul

   Updated Aug. 7, 12:45 p.m.
   ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan says it is expelling India's high commissioner to
   Islamabad, just hours after downgrading diplomatic and trade ties with
   New Dehli for stripping the disputed Kashmir region of its special
   status, as bilateral relations continue to deteriorate.
   The foreign ministry said in a brief announcement the Indian government
   has also been informed that Pakistan will not be sending its High
   Commissioner-designate to India.
   Earlier, an official announcement said that an emergency meeting of the
   National Security Committee, which includes top Pakistani civilian and
   military leaders, had decided to lower diplomatic and trade ties with
   India among other steps in response to the "unilateral and illegal
   actions" by the Indian government.

   It said without elaborating that Pakistan will review other bilateral
   arrangements with India and take the Kashmir matter to the United
   Nations, including the Security Council.

   "[The] Prime Minister directed armed forces to continue vigilance," the
   announcement noted, citing the situation on the military line of
   control separating Pakistani and Indian portions of Kashmir.

   New Delhi added a special provision to its constitution in 1949 giving
   autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, allowing the region to have its own
   constitution, a separate flag and independence over all matters except
   foreign affairs, defense and communications. India's Hindu
   nationalist-led government scrapped the constitutional provision
   Monday.

   On Tuesday, the Indian parliament passed a bill giving its approval to
   the move, including splitting its part of the divided Himalayan state
   both New Delhi and Islamabad claim in its entirety.

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