Pakistan summons Indian envoy over 'unprovoked' BSF killing of two civilians

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Indian chargé d’affaires to Islamabad on Saturday to lodge a “strong protest” over the killing of two Pakistani civilians by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) a day earlier, in the first formal diplomatic move since the border shooting. (https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632752/pakistan-summons-indian-envoy-over-killing-of-two-pakistanis-along-international-border)

“The BSF personnel resorted to unprovoked lethal force against unarmed civilians. Such use of force was wholly unjustified and grossly disproportionate,” the foreign ministry said, rejecting any attempt to “mischaracterise the deceased as ‘infiltrators’”. Pakistan called the incident a “serious violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to life”, and demanded India conduct an “immediate, transparent and credible investigation”, take disciplinary and legal action against those responsible, and formally communicate the findings. (https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632752/pakistan-summons-indian-envoy-over-killing-of-two-pakistanis-along-international-border)

The two men were named in Pakistani media as Azmat Rasool Shah and Mohsin Jutt, residents of Jattan Wali Haveli in Ladhar; a third man was injured. Pakistani security sources said the unarmed civilians moved only a few steps beyond a border pillar without attempting to cross the fence. (https://www.geo.tv/latest/684840-pakistan-lodges-strong-protest-with-india-over-civilians-killing-in-unprovoked-firing)

India disputes that account. Officials told the Press Trust of India that three suspected intruders advanced towards the Indian side near Tarn Taran in Punjab at around noon on Friday; one returned to Pakistan while the other two continued despite warnings and were provoking the troops before the BSF opened fire, local police officer Atul Soni said. The identities of the dead are being ascertained. (https://www.etvbharat.com/en/international/pakistan-summons-indian-diplomat-protests-killing-of-many-people-by-bsf-enn26100303894)

The summons follows Friday’s conflicting accounts of the shooting, which Flip News covered yesterday. (https://flipnews.co.uk/world/pakistan-disputes-bsf-kasur-border-shooting/)