Islamabad, May 2 (PTI): Pakistan’s Army on Tuesday asked India to produce “actionable evidence” about its claim that a Pakistani special forces team had sneaked across the de facto border in Kashmir, killed an Indian soldier and a border guard and beheaded them.
The issue was discussed during a hotline contact between the Directors General of Military Operations of Pakistan and India in the morning to defuse the tension.
“Pakistan rejected Indian allegations of ceasefire violation and mutilation of bodies of Indian soldiers,” the Pakistan army said in a statement.
Pakistan’s DGMO, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, told his Indian counterpart Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt that neither had ceasefire violations occurred in the sector (pointed out by India in the mutilation allegation), nor had Pakistani troops crossed over.
“Pakistan Army is a professional military outfit and upholds the highest standards of conduct. Allegations of mutilation are an Indian attempt to divert the attention of world from situation within the Valley,” Mirza claimed.
India says a junior commissioned officer of the army and a Border Security Force head constable were killed and their bodies mutilated by a Pakistan army team that crossed about 250 metres into Indian territory along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir.
It says a Pakistani border action team crossed into the Indian side as the Pakistan Army launched heavy rocket and mortar firing on two forward posts in the Krishna Ghati sector.
The Pakistan DGMO asked his Indian counterpart to provide ”actionable evidence” related to the incident and urged the Indian army to look inwards to probe the incident.
He said that Pakistan was fully committed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LoC. He accused Indian troops of continuously targeting innocent civilians on LoC and apprised the Indian general that continuity of such action would invite appropriate response.
“Any misadventure shall be appropriately responded at a place and time of own choosing,” the Pakistan DGMO warned.
The DGMOs’ contact followed after the local commanders level hotline contact was established on Monday night at Rawlakot- Poonch sector on LOC between the army authorities of the two countries, the army statement said.
Local commanders of Pakistan told Indian counterpart that they had not violated the ceasefire.
“Indian counterpart was told that there has been no ceasefire violations from Pakistan side nor mutilation of Indian soldiers' bodies. Indian authorities were told that there is unnecessary media hype following the allegations,” the army said.
(This report was updated at 7.25pm.)
