The Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs on Friday wrote a letter to the Minister of External Affairs India, to lodge protest on the killing of two soldiers of the Punjab Rangers in Zafarwal Sector. Condemning the action of the Indian Border Security Force, the Adviser in his letter lodged the Government of Pakistan's strong protest with the Government of India, calling for an immediate investigation into the incident and bringing the perpetrators to account.
Foreign Office Spokesperson giving details said the letter underlines that the regrettable ambush of the soldiers would undermine mechanisms established by the two countries to ensure peace and tranquillity along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary (WB).
The Adviser's letter was handed over to the Indian High Commissioner by the Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Expressing concern at the way the incident had taken place, the Foreign Secretary underlined that the incident was not only in contravention to the rules of engagement, but also amounted to breach of trust of Pakistani soldiers in these mechanisms.
The Foreign Secretary also impressed upon the Indian High Commissioner that it was not in Pakistan's interest to ratchet up tension on the LoC and WB, since Pakistan's law enforcement agencies and armed forces were fully engaged in combating terrorism and militancy across the country. The Indian insinuations that Pakistan supported infiltration attempts were, therefore, far removed from reality, he added.
On December 31, 2014, the Indian Border Security Force troops invited the personnel of the Punjab Rangers for a flag meeting, but greeted the unsuspecting soldiers with a volley of unprovoked fire, causing severe injuries to two soldiers.
The unabated Indian firing denied timely medical attention to the wounded soldiers, who succumbed to their injuries and embraced Shahadat. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as well as the entire nation took serious notice of the condemnable Indian aggression and expressed their shock and anger at the killing of the soldiers in cold blood. Keeping in view the seriousness of the incident, the Foreign Secretary also briefed the Heads of the Missions of P-5 countries and the EU in Islamabad and emphasised the importance of maintaining cease-fire on the LoC and WB.