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India expels Pakistani embassy staffer over espionage charge

ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says India is expelling a Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi after briefly detaining him on what it called "false and unsubstantiated charges."

In a statement, it said India on Thursday informed Pakistan's high commissioner, the top Pakistani diplomat in the country, that embassy staff member Mehmood Akhtar has until Oct. 29 to leave the country.

India's Foreign Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup confirmed the decision in a tweet.

He said India determined that Akhtar was involved in espionage activities, a charge rejected by Pakistan.

Tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbors has spiked since last month over the territory of Kashmir, which is divided between the two sides and is claimed by both.

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