Pakistan accuses India of 12 beheadings since 1998: Report

Report follows series of killings of soldiers on both sides earlier this month along de facto border known as the LoC.

NEW DELHI:

Pakistan has accused India of decapitating 12 soldiers in cross-border attacks since 1998 and registered a protest with a UN watchdog, a newspaper reported Wednesday, after deadly army clashes earlier this month.

The accusations are contained in a series of classified documents presented to the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) which monitors the disputed Kashmir border, according to The Hindu newspaper.

The report reads, “In classified protests to a United Nations watchdog that have never been disclosed till now, Pakistan has accused Indian soldiers of involvement in the torture and decapitation of at least 12 Pakistani soldiers in cross-Line of Control raids since 1998, as well as the massacre of 29 civilians.”

The report follows a series of killings of soldiers on both sides earlier this month along the de facto border known as the LoC.

Pakistan says three of its soldiers were killed in firing by Indian troops while India accuses Pakistani troops of killing two of its soldiers on January 8, one of whom was beheaded. Pakistan has denied responsibility.

The situation along the LoC has calmed since the two armies agreed a ceasefire on January 16.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed senior Pakistani army officer stating that,  “Ever since 9/11, we have sought to downplay these incidents, aware that a public backlash [could] push us into a situation we cannot afford on the LoC, given that much of our army is now committed to our western borders. Each of these incidents has been protested by us on both military and UNMOGIP channels.”

An Indian military spokesperson said the issue had “not been raised by Pakistan in communications between the two Directors-General of Military Operations.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2013.