India, Pakistan Trade Charges Over Border Killings
Pakistan has summoned India’s chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to protest the deaths of two Pakistani nationals near the International Border in Punjab, while India has rejected Islamabad’s account and accused Pakistan of facilitating illegal cross-border infiltration.
Pakistan Protests Border Firing Incident
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said two Pakistani nationals were killed and another injured after Indian Border Security Force personnel opened fire near the Bedian sector on October 2.
Islamabad described the three as unarmed civilians and alleged that they had inadvertently crossed the border. It accused Indian forces of using disproportionate force and called for adherence to existing border agreements.
Pakistan also rejected suggestions that those killed were infiltrators.
India Rejects Pakistan’s Claims as Baseless
India subsequently summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi and rejected Islamabad’s allegations as “baseless and motivated”.
Indian authorities said three people had crossed the International Border into Punjab’s Ferozepur sector and continued moving forward despite repeated warnings from the BSF.
New Delhi maintained that security personnel acted in response to an illegal infiltration attempt and lodged a protest over what it described as Pakistan’s continued facilitation of cross-border infiltration.
India Raises Drug Smuggling Concerns
India also linked the incident to broader concerns over narcotics trafficking networks operating from Pakistani territory.
The government asked Pakistan to investigate alleged support for cross-border infiltration and drug-smuggling operations and to ensure that its forces prevent unauthorised movement across the International Border.
The conflicting accounts have added another point of friction to already strained India-Pakistan relations.
