India Summons Pak Envoy Over Border Infiltration
India said the incident highlighted what it described as a pattern of repeated cross-border movement: Reports
New Delhi: India on Saturday summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires (CdA) to lodge a “strong protest over the continued facilitation of illegal cross-border infiltration from Pakistan”, the external affairs ministry said in a late-evening statement.
New Delhi also “categorically rejected the baseless and motivated allegations” made by Pakistan over an incident in the Ferozepur sector of Punjab along the International Border on Friday.
India said the incident highlighted what it described as a pattern of repeated cross-border movement by armed narcotics syndicates operating from Pakistan.
The move came after Pakistan summoned the Indian CdA in Islamabad earlier in the day to protest reports that Border Security Force personnel had shot dead two suspected Pakistani intruders along the International Border in Punjab on Friday.
In its statement, New Delhi said: “The Pakistani side was informed that three individuals infiltrated into Indian territory and despite multiple warnings by BSF to return to Pakistan, continued to move towards the border fence. The BSF was compelled to engage them for posing an imminent security threat.”
India said Pakistan had been urged to investigate cross-border infiltration and drug-smuggling activities and the alleged complicity of its border-guarding forces, and to take remedial measures.
“Pakistan was further urged to ensure respect for the sanctity of the International Border, strictly observe relevant bilateral arrangements, mandate its forces to exercise effective control to prevent unauthorised movement from its side, and take definitive measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” New Delhi said.
Islamabad, however, claimed earlier in the day that the use of force was “wholly unjustified and grossly disproportionate, resulting in the tragic loss of two precious lives”.
Pakistan also rejected what it called an attempt to characterise the deceased as “infiltrators”.
This is the second time in three weeks that India has summoned the Pakistani CdA to lodge a protest. In mid-September, the MEA summoned the Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi after a Pakistani naval ship allegedly collided with an Indian naval vessel in international waters in the Arabian Sea.
