A queue barrier outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has been removed, government sources said, in a move that came days after Pakistani authorities took similar action outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
The reciprocal actions come as relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours remain strained following the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, in which 26 people were killed.
Indian authorities subsequently launched Operation Sindoor, with military exchanges between India and Pakistan continuing until May 10. Diplomatic relations have remained tense since then, with both sides taking measures affecting their respective diplomatic missions.
Pakistan’s removal of security and parking poles outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Monday was followed three days later by the removal of the queue liner outside Pakistan’s mission in New Delhi.
Neither government immediately provided a detailed explanation for the latest reciprocal measures.
The developments coincided with a separate diplomatic dispute involving the United States and the contested region of Jammu and Kashmir.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor visited Srinagar on Wednesday and described Jammu and Kashmir as an important part of India during a meeting with local media.
“This is an important part of India, and so I am here visiting for the first time,” Gor said, while praising the area’s scenery and discussing the possibility of greater tourism.
Gor also said Washington regularly reviews its travel guidance for American citizens and could consider lowering its travel advisory if conditions permitted.
The remarks prompted a strong response from Pakistan, which summoned US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker in Islamabad and delivered what it described as a strong demarche.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry disputed Gor’s characterization of Jammu and Kashmir and said his comments were factually incorrect.
The visit was particularly significant because Gor was the first US ambassador to India to visit the region in six years. He also serves as the US special envoy for South and Central Asia.
The issue of Jammu and Kashmir remains one of the central disputes between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the Himalayan territory in full but control separate parts of it.
The latest diplomatic exchanges highlight the continued sensitivity surrounding official statements about the region and the broader state of India-Pakistan relations.
The removal of the barriers at both diplomatic missions may appear minor compared with the larger political disputes between the two countries, but the timing has drawn attention because it follows a series of reciprocal measures since last year’s Pahalgam attack.
With tensions still high, developments involving diplomatic missions, border security and international statements on Kashmir are likely to remain closely watched in both capitals.
