ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has invited Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to visit areas along the Line of Control (LoC) to disprove New Delhi’s claims of destroying alleged terror camps in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
A Foreign Office (FO) source said the acting Indian high commissioner in Pakistan Ahluwalia has been invited by the Pakistani government along with heads of other diplomatic missions to be able to see the ground situation at the LoC with their own eyes.
According to diplomatic sources, the Indian high commission is considering Pakistan’s invitation and would inform the FO about their decision soon.
This move can prove significant at a time when tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours are rising.
Islamabad’s invitation comes a day after nine Indian soldiers were killed and several others injured after Pakistan Army responded to India’s unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC. Five innocent civilians were also killed in the cross-border firing by Indian troops.
After the incident, the FO had categorically rejected Indian media reports about “so-called launch pads” being hit by the Indian security forces along the LoC.
FO spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Ahluwalia to register a protest with him over continuing Indian ceasefire violations.
“The Indian occupation forces, along the LoC and Working Boundary, have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy calibre mortars, and automatic weapons,” read an FO statement.
“Heinous Indian targeting of civilians is a typical attempt by India to divert international attention from the humanitarian nightmare in IOJ&K [Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir],” it added.
To settle the issue of false reports of Indian troops targeting “so-called launch pads”, Pakistan also called upon five permanent members of the United Nations, known as P5, to pressurise New Delhi to show concrete proof.
Islamabad also agreed to arrange a visit of P5 diplomats to the locations allegedly attacked by India “to expose Indian falsehood”.
On Sunday night, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor had issued a statement in which he completely rejected India’s version of the events.
“The statement of Indian COAS claiming destruction of three alleged camps in AJK is disappointing as he holds a very responsible position. There are no camps let alone targeting them. The Indian embassy is welcome to take any foreign diplomat/media to prove it on ground,” he had said.
“The propensity of false claims by senior Indian military leadership, especially since the Pulwama incident, is detrimental to peace in the region. Such false claims by Indian Army are being made to suit vested interests. This is against professional military ethics,” he concluded.
A Foreign Office (FO) source said the acting Indian high commissioner in Pakistan Ahluwalia has been invited by the Pakistani government along with heads of other diplomatic missions to be able to see the ground situation at the LoC with their own eyes.
According to diplomatic sources, the Indian high commission is considering Pakistan’s invitation and would inform the FO about their decision soon.
This move can prove significant at a time when tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours are rising.
Islamabad’s invitation comes a day after nine Indian soldiers were killed and several others injured after Pakistan Army responded to India’s unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC. Five innocent civilians were also killed in the cross-border firing by Indian troops.
After the incident, the FO had categorically rejected Indian media reports about “so-called launch pads” being hit by the Indian security forces along the LoC.
FO spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Ahluwalia to register a protest with him over continuing Indian ceasefire violations.
“The Indian occupation forces, along the LoC and Working Boundary, have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy calibre mortars, and automatic weapons,” read an FO statement.
“Heinous Indian targeting of civilians is a typical attempt by India to divert international attention from the humanitarian nightmare in IOJ&K [Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir],” it added.
To settle the issue of false reports of Indian troops targeting “so-called launch pads”, Pakistan also called upon five permanent members of the United Nations, known as P5, to pressurise New Delhi to show concrete proof.
Islamabad also agreed to arrange a visit of P5 diplomats to the locations allegedly attacked by India “to expose Indian falsehood”.
On Sunday night, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor had issued a statement in which he completely rejected India’s version of the events.
“The statement of Indian COAS claiming destruction of three alleged camps in AJK is disappointing as he holds a very responsible position. There are no camps let alone targeting them. The Indian embassy is welcome to take any foreign diplomat/media to prove it on ground,” he had said.
“The propensity of false claims by senior Indian military leadership, especially since the Pulwama incident, is detrimental to peace in the region. Such false claims by Indian Army are being made to suit vested interests. This is against professional military ethics,” he concluded.