Pakistan asks India to probe killing of its soldier after questioning

Pakistan on Friday demanded of India to investigate the killing of its soldier, who the army says had inadvertently crossed into the Indian-occupied Kashmir last night.

The Pakistan Army said that sepoy Akhlaq crossed the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region and was killed after questioning.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the killing of a Pakistani soldier by the Indian army yesterday in Khoi Ratta sector along the LoC,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“The killing of our soldier who had lost his way and inadvertently crossed the LoC, goes against the understanding reached between Pakistan and India on speedy return of inadvertent line crossers and has the potential to further vitiate the atmosphere,” a statement said.

The Foreign Ministry said that Pakistan has called upon the Government of India to carry out a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident and to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Earlier the army termed as ‘inhuman and brutal’ the killing of its soldier and said that he was killed after he had identified himself.

“Yesterday a Pakistan army soldier Akhlaq lost his way between two posts and inadvertently crossed over the LoC,” 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.

The latest incident has again heightened tension that was reduced 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.

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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.