Terming Islamabad's move to expel an Indian diplomat as 'hasty and ill-advised', sections of the media in Pakistan has said the explanation for the action was "not convincing".
The media questioned Islamabad's assertions that the action would not affect the Indo-Pak peace process.
'We reiterate: Pakistan's decision to expel the Indian diplomat (Deepak Kaul) was hasty and ill advised. Both sides know who is spying and what such activity can likely beget in terms of information," the Daily Times said in an editorial.
'In an era when the morning newspaper has more to offer in terms of information than what our intelligence agencies can boast of gathering, spying is a mock-word,' it said.
Questioning Pakistan's assertions that the expulsions would not affect the peace process, it said, 'The peace process is not on track; the expulsion of diplomats is not going to help matters. And there are many other things that could hurt the process, even more than the fact that Pakistan acted in pique rather then with foresight in kicking out the Indian diplomat'.
'India's attitude of going slow, if not deliberately forestalling any progress on the contentious issues, frustrated Pakistan and is now beginning to irritate it,' the paper claimed.
The Frontier Post, in its editorial, said Pakistan's official explanation over the expulsion of Kaul was 'not convincing'.
'Kaul's expulsion, coming in the background of allegations of involvement of Pakistan intelligence agencies in the Mumbai blasts, lack credibility,' it said.
"Given this, the official explanation given by the Islamabad establishment for the expulsion, which triggered New Delhi's impetuous response, is sure not to come credibly to very many even here at home,' the paper said.
It would be widely viewed as the premier agency's mere 'vindictive action out of pique' at the 'obviously official-inspired propaganda onslaught against it in the Indian media,' according to the paper.
Claiming that both India and Pakistan 'tailed' their diplomats closely keeping a tight tab on them, it said, in the given circumstances, 'only the most gullible would bite the official version that the Indian diplomat was caught red-handed while receiving some sensitive document from a local contact'.
'It is unbelievable that the Indian diplomat would have stopped to receive this document, knowing fully well that the he was followed and watched by the Pakistani spooks. And for the same, his contact would not have turned up on the road deliver the document in full glare,' it said.
The Dawn, however, backed Pakistan's version alleging that Kaul has 'confessed that he was not a diplomat but a spy'.
'Regrettably, India chose to go public with the issue, even though Islamabad had suggested to New Delhi that the crisis be tackled behind the scenes,' it said, adding that the two sides should now make a serious effort to stop the drift in their relations.
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