Pakistan

Indian envoy summoned over ‘killing of Pakistani prisoner in IIOJK’

Protest lodged over the killing of Zia Mustafa under Indian custody in Poonch sector, says Foreign Office

News Desk October 28, 2021

A view of Foreign Office building in Islamabad. PHOTO: FILE

The Indian top diplomat was summoned on Wednesday to the Foreign Office (FO) and a strong protest was lodged on the reported killing of a Pakistani civilian prisoner Zia Mustafa in an incident involving Indian occupation forces in the Poonch sector of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Indian Charge d’Affaires was told that the reported killing of the Pakistani prisoner, who was in Indian custody since 2003, under mysterious circumstances at a location away from the prison where he was interned, was not only intriguing but also raised serious questions about the well-being, safety and security of Pakistani prisoners in India.

Regrettably, it added, this is not the first such incident. In the past as well, Pakistani civilian prisoners in India have been found dead under inexplicable circumstances. "Pakistan reiterates its condemnation of the dastardly Indian practice of extra-judicial killing of Pakistani and Kashmiri prisoners in fake encounters."

Indian Charge d’Affaires summoned to Foreign Office to lodge a strong protest on reported killing of a Pakistani civilian in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and #Kashmir (IIOJK)#etribune #Pakistan #BlackDayKashmir pic.twitter.com/gedw84ijNQ
— The Express Tribune (@etribune) October 27, 2021

MoFA said that the government of India was urged to urgently authenticate this particular incident, undertake a credible and transparent investigation into it, ensure justice, and hold the perpetrators to account.

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It further said that the Indian government was further reminded to fulfil its obligations to ensure safety, security and humane treatment of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails and detention centres pending their release or repatriation.