The tit-for-tat expulsions have brought the countries to the threshold of a 1971-like situation, when the high commissions in Delhi and Islamabad had to be shut down for several months. But at that time the two countries were at war.

India threw out Islamabad's charge d'affaires Jalil Abbas Jilani after he was named Friday in a first information report for funneling funds for terrorist activities. Pakistan expelled Delhi's charge d'affaires in Islamabad Sudhir Vyas on the rebound, asking him to leave by Monday.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told the chief ministers' conference on internal security, "For India the most disconcerting aspect of terrorism is that it is sponsored, supported and funded by Pakistan as a matter of its state policy."

He said that Pakistan's assurances on cross-border terrorism "remain unfulfilled" and it had taken "no significant action against training camps and infrastructural support to terrorism."

The Pakistani establishment "does not appear to be interested in establishing tension-free and good-neighborly relations with India by ending its proxy war against our country," he added.

The expulsions began Saturday morning after India gave the Pakistan deputy high commissioner the marching orders.

On Thursday, a female Hurriyat Conference activist picked up near the Pakistan mission with over 300,000 rupees (US$6289) confessed that Jilani gave her the money as a "gift" for the Hurriyat Conference.

Joint secretary Arun Singh, head of the Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan division in the Indian foreign ministry, summoned the political counselor in the Pakistan mission, Syed Ibne Abbas, and informed him of the decision.

Pakistan took only a few hours to retaliate. Its foreign ministry summoned Vikram Misri, political counselor in the Indian mission, and told him Vyas would have to leave.

Along with the senior diplomats, both sides have expelled four staff members each. They have all been charged with "indulging in activities incompatible with their official status."

Both sides have asked the expelled persons to leave by Monday. But both governments have allowed their families about a week to pack up.

India said it did not want any down-gradation in the level of representation of the charge d'affaires and it "would be ready to give a visa at the earliest to his replacement." Pakistan has not made any such clarification.

Deputy Prime L K Advani also said Saturday night that India does not propose to shut down the Pakistan High Commission here.

The latest round of expulsions, which began after the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament over a year ago, has brought the staff strength in the two missions down to 47 from 110. The senior-most person officiating is at the level of a political counselor.

Indian foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said, "We have hard evidence about Jilani and the other officials of the Pakistani high commission's involvement."

However, Jilani claimed he was being framed and expressed confidence that the Indian media would dig out the truth. "Truth shall prevail. But when it comes out I shall be long gone," he said.

Pakistan information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said, "This is...the worst kind of diplomatic decision. We want peace and India wants to provoke us. It's a bad symbol."

Meanwhile, India felt that the Pakistan move was a knee-jerk reaction, which only reaffirmed its "compulsive hostility."

"It is extremely unfortunate that Pakistan has chosen to act in this way. This is a pure and simple act of retaliation and another indication of Pakistan's compulsive hostility towards India," Sarna said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2003)