RAWALPINDI: The three Indian High Commission officials who were yesterday [Aug 23] ordered to leave Pakistan within 24 hours on the charge of espionage left the country early this morning by car via Hussainiwala.

The three officials, including First Secretary Maharaj Sarup, were caught by the Police redhanded while receiving classified official documents from two Pakistani nationals on Aug 22 in the Ayub National Park here.

Official sources here today said the Indians lef t Pakistan in perfect health with their families.

They denied the allegation broadcast by the AllIndia Radio quoting an Indian Foreign Office spokesman that the Pakistan Government had taken the action in retaliation to the expulsion of a clerk of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by the Indian Government a few weeks ago.

They said Pakistan had always shown a keen desire to normalise her relations with India. The Pakistan Government, they pointed out, had been very careful in its response to the utterances made by the Indian Foreign Minister against Pakistan in the recent past because Pakistan had no desire to contribute to the tension that is being built up by Indian leaders in the Sub-continent. But it was unfortunate that Indian diplomats indulged in activities which were prejudicial to the security of Pakistan and were caught redhanded. Naturally, they could not be allowed to continue doing so and action had to be taken against them.

Declining to disclose the nature of the documents apprehended with the Indian diplomats as they related to matters `highly sensitive`, official sources here pointed out that the Indian First Secretary could not have gone to the Ayub National Park accompanied by his Personal Assistant and a clerl( after dusk for a walk, leaving his family at home.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in London,] the Pakistan High Commission sent yesterday[Aug23]representativestoCanterbury to investigate the report that eight persons said to be Pakistanis had been landed on a deserted beach by an international ring engaged in ferrying illegal immigrants to Britain from the British and Belgian coasts.