Pakistan on Wednesday rejected Indian allegation of its soldiers violating the ceasefire protocol along the Line of Control (LoC), as New Delhi summoned the Pakistani envoy in India to lodge a formal protest over what it called a “provocative” attack, one that could call for action “beyond the procedures”.
India has accused Pakistani soldiers of crossing the LoC, killing two of its soldiers and injuring another.
Military sources on Wednesday said the Pakistani Director General Military Operations (DGMO) had talked to his Indian counterpart over hotline and rejected Indian Army’s allegations.
The Indian authorities were informed that Pakistan had carried out ground verification and checked and found that nothing of this sort happened as being alleged by the Indian Army. The Indian DGMO was told that it was mere propaganda by the Indian Army and officials concerned.
On Sunday, Indian troops raided a Pakistani post and killed soldier Naik Aslam. Sources said the Indians had launched the propaganda to divert global attention from its brazen raid and had in return accused Pakistan of violating the LoC.
India on Wednesday said that it would “convey its protest” to Pakistan over the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani troops.
“We will convey our protest to the Pakistan government and our Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) will talk to his counterpart in Pakistan,” Defence Minister AK Antony said.
Antony said the attack was highly provocative and “we are closely monitoring the situation”.
“The way they have treated the body of Indian soldiers, it is inhuman,” he said.
ENVOY SUMMONED: The Indian External Affairs Ministry also summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Salman Bashir.
“We will take this up very firmly with the Pakistan government,” External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told the Indian media.
He said the killing and mutilation of bodies of Indian soldiers was “an extremely sensitive matter” and “a matter of great concern to everyone”.
“These are matters on which every dimension has to be examined very carefully before we say what we propose to do,” he said.
The killings have made India warn that its response “may have to go beyond the procedures”.
Indian officials said Pakistani soldiers, said to be from the Baloch regiment, sneaked into Indian-held Kashmir under the cover of thick fog and killed two Indian soldiers and wounded a third.
India’s chief military spokesman alleged one of the soldiers had been beheaded by Pakistani troops, who carried away his head.
PAKISTAN CALLS FOR UN PROBE: Denying Indian allegations, Pakistan on Wednesday called on United Nations Military Observers to investigate the incident.
“Pakistan is prepared to hold investigations through the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan on the recent ceasefire violations on the Line of Control,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told Indian channel CNN-IBN that Islamabad was “a bit appalled at some statements” from India and that she was “saddened”.
Khar said a Pakistani soldier had been “brutally murdered because of Indian firing” but denied that Pakistan operated a policy of “tit for tat”.
She said allegations of ceasefire violations had to be dealt with responsibly and offered to ask the UN military observers to investigate.
India sees red as Pakistan rejects LoC killings
