Omar Abdullah calls harassment of guests at Iftar party hosted by Indian High Commissioner 'stupid tit for tat diplomacy'

Omar Abdullah on Sunday tweeted about harassment of guests who had come to attend Indian High Commission Iftar party in Islamabad by Pakistan officials on Saturday. 

He blamed the incident on stupid 'tit for tat' diplomacy and hoped the matter would now come to an end.

READ | Iftar Party Hosted By Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria Spoiled In Pakistan; Guests Threatened, Harassed On Arrival

While way back in March, the Delhi police had dissuaded Indian guests arriving at Pakistan High Commission on Pakistan National Day following the tensions between the two countries after the Pulwama terror attack, however, the traditional 'Iftar' dinner hosted at the embassy in India on Saturday went unperturbed.

Individuals from all walks of life, including political personalities, community notables, Sajjadah Nasheens of several Sufi shrines in India, academics, writers, journalists, artists, civil society activists, Pakistani students and other prominent persons attended the dinner.

But, Pakistan, pulled its old trick and sabotaged the Iftar party hosted by Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria in Islamabad on Saturday. 

The Indian diplomat hosted an Iftar party and sent out invitations to a large number of people. However as soon as the guests starting arriving, several teams of Pakistani intelligence agencies stopped people outside and obstructed them from coming in. Some of the guests were harassed and threatened over the phone. 

The Indian High Commissioner said that many guests were not even allowed to enter the venue in Pakistan's capital city. Later, Bisaria apologised to his guests who were stopped from entering. 

Tensions had flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was handed over to India.

READ | Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria Slams Pakistan Over Ill-treatment Of Guests At Iftar In Islamabad, Says 'such Tactics Are Counter-productive For Bilateral Relations'