Two Pakistani paramilitary soldiers were killed in cross-border firing with Indian border guards near the Sialkot working boundary on Wednesday, spurring a ‘strong’ protest from Islamabad.
“Two soldiers of the Chenab Rangers were killed by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at Shakargarh Sector of Narowal district when Indian forces started firing ahead of a flag meeting,” a Chenab Rangers spokesman told AFP.
According to the spokesman, the BSF had requested the Chenab Rangers for a flag meeting on their side of the border at 11am on Wednesday. Two petty officers – Naik Riaz Shakir and Lance Naik Muhammad Safdar – were heading to participate in the meeting when they were fired upon by BSF troops at Zero Point.
The BSF continued firing with small and heavy weapons to deny Rangers personnel access to their injured colleagues. “Subsequently, the Chenab Rangers retaliated and silenced the Indian guns. However, by that time the injured troops had already embraced martyrdom,” he said.
The BSF also fired gunshots and mortar shells at 25 border villages, including Chittar, Durman and Sukhmal, triggering fear and panic among residents.
Pakistan’s reaction
Islamabad lodged a strong protest with India over the incident. “The Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned to the ministry of foreign affairs to lodge a strong protest on the unprovoked firing of the Indian troops, resulting in the Shahadat of two personnel of Pakistani Rangers,” said a statement issued by the foreign ministry.
It said the government of Pakistan has strongly condemned the action of the BSF, terming it a violation of the commitment by both sides to maintain ceasefire along the LoC and the working boundary.
“The government of India has been urged to investigate the incident, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LoC and the working boundary,” it added.
Tensions between the two neighbours have been running high in recent months due to sporadic incidents of firing along the LoC and the working boundary.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2015.
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Indian Aggression and Our Respond: There is a difference between the sentiments of Pakistan Army and Raheel-Nawaz regime And Yes! Army is brave and ready to respond But Raheel-Nawaz regime will never move an inch against the will of their pocket fillers .$$ #BitterReality
Sounds like a propaganda article.
@Pity: Actually it was the rogue elements who caused the Indian parliament and the Mumbai attack. They were also involved in sheltering OBL in Abbotabad.
The day before yesterday it was brotherly western neighbor Iran that delivered a robust response to provocations by Pakistan per article by ET:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/813988/retaliatory-action-iran-fires-42-mortar-shells-into-balochistan/
Yesterday it was eastern neighbor India’s turn to deliver a robust response to provocation by Pakistan.
When will Pakistan learn the lesson of good neighborliness and cease provoking her neighbors?
Meantime India must take punitive action to drum into head of Pakistan’s Punjabi Military dominated Deep State that waging Jihad under an Nuclear Umbrella will necessarily entail a disproportionately punishing Indian response as it appears to be in this instant case.
@K. Selvam: Yes it is these 'rogue elements' in Pakistan which returned 12-year old Indian girl Nasreen, who had crossed to Pakistani side, to the Indian BSF.
Who has interest in raising animosity between India and Pakistan? Not India or its army. Rogue elements in the Pakistani army pushing infiltrators is the most likely scenario here. We known that the new line of Pakistani army generals in not appreciated by all the lower ranks from ex army TTP utterances.
Two days back an Indian soldier was killed by cross border firing. This was retaliatory fire.
Was it not a retaliatory firing by Indians? There is no mention of that in your report. Try to keep your reporting neutral and unbiased and factual,please.
India is reporting that four Pakistani Rangers were killed and Pakistan had to raise a white flag, requesting the Indian side to stop shelling while they picked up their fallen soldiers. It seems India did honor the Pakistani request. Does anyone know what the facts are?