New Delhi: India on Saturday summoned Pakistan’s senior-most diplomat in New Delhi to protest Islamabad’s alleged role in enabling illegal crossings along the International Border, hours after Pakistan protested the killing of two men by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjab.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called in Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires, Saad Warraich, and lodged a strong protest over the “continued facilitation of illegal cross-border infiltration from Pakistan”. It also dismissed Islamabad’s allegations concerning the October 2 incident in Punjab’s Ferozepur sector.
“India also categorically rejected the baseless and motivated allegations regarding an incident in the Ferozepur sector, Punjab, along the International Border on October 2,” the MEA said.
India’s Version
The ministry said Pakistan was told that three people had entered Indian territory and continued moving towards the border fence despite several warnings from BSF personnel to return to the Pakistani side.
“The BSF was compelled to engage them for posing an imminent security threat. This incident highlights a clear pattern of repeated cross-border movement by armed narcotics syndicates operating from Pakistan,” the MEA said.
New Delhi urged Pakistan to investigate the infiltration and drug-smuggling activity, including the alleged involvement of Pakistani border-guarding forces, as reported by The New Indian Express.
“The government of Pakistan was urged to investigate these cross-border infiltration, drug smuggling activities and the complicity of Pakistan Border Guarding forces therein, and to take appropriate remedial measures,” the MEA said in its statement.
It further asked Islamabad 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”.
Islamabad’s Objection
Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan summoned India’s Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad to protest the “killing of two civilians” by the BSF along the frontier in Punjab’s Ferozepur sector.
Indian officials said BSF personnel shot dead two suspected Pakistani intruders along the International Border in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district on Friday.
According to officials, three people were moving towards the Indian side, but one returned to Pakistan while the other two continued ahead despite warnings.