Breach of trust: Pakistan lodges protest with India over ambush of soldiers, seeks probe

Rangers personnel were greeted with volley of unprovoked fire, causing severe injuries which they later succumbed to

ISLAMABAD: A couple of days after two Rangers were killed in Indian firing along the working boundary, Pakistan lodged a protest with India and sought a probe into the incident.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz in a letter to Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj lodged a formal protest on the killing of the two soldiers in the Zafarwal Sector. The move comes a day after a protest had been lodged with the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad.

On December 31, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) troops invited personnel of the Punjab Rangers for a flag meeting. However, the Rangers were greeted with a volley of unprovoked fire, leaving them fatally injured.

Aziz, in his letter, condemned the action of the Indian BSF and lodged a strong protest with the government of India.

In the letter, the advisor also called for an immediate investigation into the incident as well as bringing the perpetrators to account.

The letter underlines that the regrettable ambush of the soldiers would undermine mechanisms established by the two countries to ensure peace and tranquility along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary (WB).

The adviser’s letter was handed over to the Indian High Commissioner by foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry.

Indian High Commissioner summoned by Foreign Secretary today & handed over letter of protest by Adviser to Indian External Affairs Minister

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) January 2, 2015

Ambush a breach of trust

While handing over the letter, Chaudhry expressed concern at the way the incident took place. He underlined that the incident was not only in contravention to the rules of engagement, but also amounted to breach of trust of Pakistani soldiers in these mechanisms.

The foreign secretary also impressed upon the Indian High Commissioner that it was not in Pakistan’s interest to increase tension along the LoC or the WB, adding, “Our law enforcement agencies and armed forces were fully engaged in combating terrorism and militancy across the country. The Indian insinuations that Pakistan supported infiltration attempts were, therefore, far removed from reality.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took notice of the condemnable Indian aggression.

Heads of P-5 missions, EU briefed

Separately, foreign secretary briefed the heads of the missions of P-5 countries and the EU in Islamabad about the incident, and emphasised the importance of maintaining ceasefire on the LoC and WB.

Keeping in view the seriousness of Indian violation of norms, Foreign Secretary also briefed the Heads of P-5 and EU Missions in Islamabad

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) January 2, 2015

He stressed the urgency of the international community playing its role in counselling India to refrain from actions that threaten peace and stability in the region.