Indian envoy summoned over Jodhpur killings

Protest lodged over massacre of 11 members of a Pakistani family

ISLAMABAD:

The Indian Charge d’affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday to register Pakistan’s serious concerns over the “Jodhpur Incident” in which 11 Pakistani Hindus, including children, were found dead under mysterious circumstances.

The incident occurred in Village Lodta Haridasot, district Jodhpur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan on August 9, 2020. It was highlighted that despite repeated requests from the Pakistan High Commission for details, the Indian government continued to evade the issue.

 According to a foreign ministry statement, the Indian government had disclosed only scant information about the case, and had failed to share any substantive details regarding the cause and circumstances of the deaths.

Furthermore, it added that the daughter of the deceased head of the family, Shrimati Mukhi, had made highly disconcerting statements, implicating the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the murder of her father, mother and other family members, allegedly after the agency failed to convince them to spy on Pakistan and issue anti-Pakistan statements.

The ministry said that it was underscored that in the interest of justice to the bereaved family and also to ensure the safety and security of other Pakistani nationals in India, it was of utmost importance for the government of India to be fully transparent about this unfortunate incident.

 "It was emphasised that since the victims of “Jodhpur Incident” were Pakistan nationals, it was incumbent upon the government of Pakistan to be fully aware of the circumstances under which its nationals died in India," the ministry said.

 "The Indian side was urged to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the matter, provide access to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to the surviving member of the bereaved family, share copies of the FIR and the initial investigation report and facilitate the presence of the High Commission for Pakistan’s representatives during the post-mortem of the deceased persons without further delay."