The term persona non grata, meaning “unwelcome person,” received diplomatic meaning under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations established in 1961.
In the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 people dead, India downgraded its diplomatic relations with Pakistan, announcing a series of measures such as suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and shutting the Attari land transit. Officials of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi were declared Persona Non Grata and were given one week to leave India.
“The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on April 23, a day after the attack.
