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Diplomats in Pakistan scramble for Indian visas

K J M Varma in Islamabad

Fearing reprisals in the event of US military action in Afghanistan, members of the diplomatic corps, mostly from Western countries, and their families in Islamabad are scrambling for Indian visas and getting ready to leave Pakistan at short notice.

Diplomats of the American, British, European Union and other Western missions have been approaching the Indian high commission for the past few days for visas for themselves and their families, officials in the high commission said on Monday.

The diplomatic staff of countries like Sweden, Belgium and Norway has already obtained the visas.

The main reason for the western diplomats' readiness to leave Islamabad is the fear of strong reprisals from Pakistani supporters of the Taleban and Osama bin Laden, sources in the British high commission said.

The Dawn said the diplomats had requested the Pakistani government to allow them to take their vehicles with them to India through the Wagah border. But no decision has been taken yet.

The newspaper said Britain had advised its nationals to immediately leave the North West Frontier Province, Baluchistan and the Northern Areas, bordering Afghanistan.

British nationals in Pakistan have been directed to see the new travel advice on the Web site www.fco.gov.uk, a press release issued by the high commission said.

'Residents and long-term visitors are strongly advised to get themselves registered with the British diplomatic mission in Islamabad or Karachi, if they have not already done so,' the release said.

PTI

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