Indian diplomat summoned to register strong protest over 'Jodhpur incident'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned Indian charge d'affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia and lodged a strong protest over the death of 11 Pakistani Hindus in "Jodhpur Incident" under mysterious circumstances.

Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that the top Indian diplomat was summoned to register Pakistan's serious concerns over the "Jodhpur Incident" in which 11 Pakistani Hindus, including children, were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Village Lodta Haridasot, district Jodhpur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan on 9th August 2019.

He said that India was urged to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the matter, provide access to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to the surviving member of the bereaved family, share copies of the FIR and the initial investigation report, and facilitate the presence of the High Commission for Pakistan's representatives during the post-mortem of the deceased persons without further delay.

He said that it was highlighted that despite repeated requests by the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi for details regarding the tragic incident, the Indian government continues to evade the issue, has disclosed only scant information about the case, and has failed to share any substantive details regarding the cause and circumstances of the deaths.

Furthermore, the spokesperson added that the daughter of the deceased head of the family, Shrimati Mukhi, had made highly concerning statements, implicating the Indian spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the murder of her father, mother and other family members, allegedly after the agency failed to convince them to spy on Pakistan, and issue anti-Pakistan statements.

"It was underscored that in the interest of justice to the bereaved family and also to ensure the safety and security of other Pakistani nationals in India, it was of utmost importance for the government of India to be fully transparent about this unfortunate incident," the spokesperson added.

He said that it was emphasized that since the victims of "Jodhpur Incident" were Pakistan nationals, it was incumbent upon the government of Pakistan to be fully aware of the circumstances under which its nationals died in India.

Earlier on September 10, 2020, an FIR was registered with Shahdadpur Police Station by complainant Shrimati Mukhi, in which the relatives of the deceased appealed to the international human rights organisations, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the international community to ensure a fair investigation into the tragic incident and dispensation of justice.

She stated that on August 9, 2020, 11 members of her family, including her father, were murdered in Jodhpur town and blamed that RAW had killed her father Budha Ram, 80, Raivya, 35, Shamoon, 25, Antari, 75, Shrimati Lakshmi, 39, Shrimati Devi, 28, and their children Mukadas, 16, Zain, 12, Dayaal, 12, Danish, 10, and Diya, 5, through the RSS goons after the agency failed to convince them to spy on Pakistan.

Mukhi has reportedly told the police in the FIR that when her father decided to secretly return to Pakistan with his family to expose the RAW, the entire family was killed, who had gone to India in 2012, and started living in Rajasthan, where they were trapped by the RAW and given various favors for making anti-Pakistan statements.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020