Pakistan army condemns killing of soldier by Indian troops

Pakistan military Friday condemned as ‘inhuman and brutal’ the killing of its soldier who had mistakenly crossed the Line of Control late last night.

 

An army statement said that the Indian troops killed sepoy Ikhlaq even after he had identified himself.

 

“Yesterday a Pakistan army soldier Ikhlaq lost his way between two posts and inadvertently crossed over the LoC in Kohi Ratta sector,” the army statement said.

 

It said that a few civilians present close to the incident saw him being questioned by the Indians, who informed own military.

 

“Indian authorities were approached to hand over our soldier, but when Director Generals Military Operations (DGMOs) of two countries spoke on the hotline this morning, the Indian DGMO revealed that he had been killed by their troops,” the Pakistan army said.

 

However Indians have agreed to hand over his body today, the statement said.

 

“We condemn such an inhuman and brutal act of killing our soldier after he identified himself and explained his position,” the army said.

 

“This is not the first such event. We have returned Indian soldiers in the past, who had similarly strayed,” the statement went on to say.

 

Sepoy Ikhlaq, 22, was the resident of Kalar Kahar Syedan in Punjab and had been serving in the army for four years.

 

The latest incident is likely to heighten tension again that was subsided following escalations along the LoC last month after both countries accused each other of violating the 2003 ceasefire.

 

Both sides had lost at least five soldiers last month.

 

Pakistan had proposed UN inquiry into the violations but Indian rejected the proposal.

 

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar says that Pakistan has contacted the UN military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) and proposed investigation after India alleged that Pakistan had violated the ceasefire.

 

“Pakistan abides by the ceasefire and follows the mechanism to deal with such kinds of issues,” she had said in Islamabad after Delhi’s accusation that one of its soldiers was beheaded.

 

 

Posted by Tahir Khan on Feb 15 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.