NEW DELHI: The central government on Wednesday declared a Pakistani official persona non grata for indulging in activities “not in keeping with his official status in India”.The Pakistani official has been asked to leave India within 24 hours.In diplomacy, persona non grata refers to a foreign official or diplomat who is no longer allowed to stay in the host country. The government tells them to leave, usually without giving a reason. It’s the strongest way a country can show disapproval of a foreign representative.“Charge d’Affaires, Pakistan High Commission, was issued a demarche to this effect today. He was asked to strictly ensure that none of the Pakistani diplomats or officials in India misuse their privileges and status in any manner,” the government said.On May 13, India expelled another Pakistani official posted at the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi, declaring him “persona non grata” for engaging in activities incompatible with his diplomatic status. The expulsion came shortly after a senior Indian military officer briefed defence attaches and representatives from around 70 countries on the successful conduct of Operation Sindoor, India’s major counterterror operation launched in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces on May 7 launched precision strikes on nine terror launchpads across Pakistan, including major hubs linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke.In response, Pakistan carried out multiple drone incursions into Indian airspace over the following nights, which were swiftly intercepted and neutralised by India’s air defence systems. India then escalated its offensive, destroying key Pakistani military installations, including Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase and the Rahim Yar Khan airbase. However, later, New Delhi agreed to pause its military response after Islamabad reached out at the DGMO level for a ceasefire.