These are unfortunate developments, especially at a time when tensions between the two countriesare mounting. In fact, there has been some speculation as to whether such acts of unprovoked violence do not reflect a sense of frustration in Pakistan over its setbacks in Kargil. Be that as it may, tactics of this kind go against international conventions, under which every immunity and promise of safety is accorded to diplomatic staff, as well as the very spirit of diplomacy itself. It must be pointed out that this is not the first time that such incidents have occurred. In May last year, an unarmed attache of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was brutally beaten up while he was on his way to a market. At that point, India had issued a very strong statement condemning the attack and Pakistan had formally expressed regret over the incident and promised an inquiry into what it claimed was an ``individual occurrence''. But that did not change things. This April, an Indian commerce attache working in Lahore was pulled out of the vehicle he was travelling in while on a sightseeing trip and inexplicablybeaten up. Then came the latest round of violence and there is no guarantee that incidents of the kind will not be repeated in the future.

Pakistan must be informed in no uncertain terms that it will be held accountable for every act of violence perpetrated on India's foreign service personnel functioning on its territory. Indeed, at a time when the Nawaz Sharif government is fighting a rearguard battle to salvage Pakistan's democratic credentials with the world community, such incidents could prove a tremendous embarrassment. Meanwhile, Indian diplomatic personnel and citizens working in Pakistan must be told to be cautious about their movements. While such reprehensible behaviour may cause passions to rise on this side of the border, any attempt to reciprocate such brutal behaviour would be disastrous. Pakistan's foreign service personnel working here must be treated according to international norms. Anything less than this would amount to betraying the principles that this country has always swornby.