‘Unauthorised structures’ outside Pakistan High Commission pulled down using bulldozer: What we know so far

Indian Bulldozer Levels Unauthorised Structures Ringing Pakistan High Commission

Theindiapostdaily.com – Indian authorities moved to tear down the external security perimeter surrounding the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, using a JCB machine to clear barricades, queue-management installations, and other structures erected along the lane outside the diplomatic compound. Sources briefed PTI confirmed the operation targeted installations that had been set up beyond the mission’s approved boundary.

Footage circulated by news agency ANI captured the aftermath: a stretch of paved ground littered with shattered metal railings, twisted frames, corrugated roofing sheets, bricks, and chunks of concrete and plaster. Sections of white metal fencing and corrugated roofing had been pulled entirely to the ground, while the facade framing the service windows showed visible damage to its plaster and masonry.

The visa section stood out amid the wreckage, its service windows still bearing labels reading “Window 1,” “Pakistani Passport Only,” and “Window-5 / We Collection of Visa Applications.” The compound’s main entrance — characterised by white walls, domed architectural features, and large metal gates emblazoned with the Pakistani emblem — was left undisturbed, as was the barbed-wire fencing running along parts of the perimeter.

Why the Demolition Was Ordered

Official sources told PTI on Thursday that the structures were brought down after authorities determined they extended past the boundary approved for the mission. ANI framed the episode as “India’s strong counter-action,” noting the timing: it landed precisely three days after Pakistani authorities reportedly stripped protective security barricades positioned outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

The Wider Diplomatic Stand-Off

The demolition unfolded against the backdrop of a tense bilateral freeze triggered by last year’s Pahalgam terror attack, in which Pakistan-backed militants killed 26 people. India responded with what it described as a decisive counter-strike, launching Operation Sindoor to hit terror infrastructure. Active military exchanges persisted until May 10, when Pakistan, under mounting pressure, was compelled to seek a ceasefire.

US Ambassador Sergio Gor Visits Jammu and Kashmir

On Wednesday, United States Ambassador Sergio Gor made a high-profile trip to Srinagar — the first by a US envoy to the region in six years. Speaking to local media, he explicitly recognised Jammu and Kashmir as an integral component of India.

“This is an important part of India and so I am here visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place and I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place.”

Gor, who also serves as the US special envoy for South and Central Asia, held high-level meetings with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He commended the substantial steps taken by both the Central Government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to strengthen regional stability and safety, and signalled that Washington is weighing a downgrade of its travel advisory for the area.

“I cannot make any big announcements here today, but it is something we are going to look at.”

He elaborated that both levels of government “have made some incredible steps in keeping this area safer,” and added:

“We will be looking at if the travel warning that is recommended by the US is something that should be downgraded because, as I said earlier, this is a beautiful area. I think a lot of Americans would enjoy coming here and seeing the beauty.”

Pakistan’s Reaction

The explicit affirmation of India’s territorial integrity rattled Islamabad. Pakistan’s foreign ministry swiftly summoned US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker to lodge a “strong demarche,” and the government issued a statement claiming Gor’s remarks were “factually incorrect” — an attempt to push back against what it viewed as an unambiguous endorsement from the top US diplomat.