New Delhi: India has lodged a strong protest of the serious ceasefire violations and mutilation of two Indian soldiers by Pakistan. India also summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner, Salman Bashir, and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai talked tough over Tuesday's deadly ambush and the dishonouring of the Indian martyrs.
The Pakistani envoy was told that the soldiers of the neighbouring country have violated all norms of international conduct, even as India asked for an investigation into the unprovoked attack. Taking a tougher stand, India warned Pakistan of consequences if it did not respect the ceasefire.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said, "The violation of ceasefire is of great concern...if not immediately contained, it will have an adverse impact (on the relations between the two countries)."
However, the response of Pakistan to the development was one of denial, with both the army and the government dismissing the concerns of India.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said, "We have completed our investigation. If India doesn't believe in our enquiry, we are willing to accept third party enquiry."
In New Delhi, the aggression and the subsequent rebuff by Pakistan was received poorly. With a pulse on public sentiment, political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, also began pressurising the government for a firm response.
"The government must now be very firm with Pakistan. This is a warning as far as India is concerned...the red line between the relations with Pakistan must be drawn clearly now," said senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley.
"This incident has raised question on whether Pakistan wants good ties with India," said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi.
However, the government does not want an escalation of tensions. The government has asked the army to be restrained and politically as well ruled out a punishing response to Pakistan's misadventure.
Comments
0 comment