The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday denied Pakistan’s allegation that Indian troops had targeted a United Nations vehicle along the Line of Control last week. The ministry accused Pakistan of making false accusations against India to cover up its own failures.
“Allegations by Pakistan regarding Indian forces deliberately targeting a UN vehicle on 18 December, 2020, have been investigated in detail and found to be factually incorrect and false,” Fforeign ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to media queries. “Our forward troops were aware of the visit of UN Military Observers in the area and did not conduct any firing as alleged.”
He added: “Instead of repeating baseless and fabricated allegations against India to cover up its own failure in ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel in territory under its control, Pakistan should responsibly investigate its lapses. India has conveyed its findings and views on these misrepresentations to the Pakistani side.”
Pakistan had alleged that the vehicle belonging to the United Nations Military Observers was targeted by Indian forces in Chirikot sector, PTI reported. The country’s Army had also tweeted photos of the damaged vehicle on Friday.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Chaudhri said UN officials were going to meet people affected by ceasefire violations along the LoC, Hindustan Times reported. He referred to the incident as a “new low”.
An unidentified Indian official denied the accusation. “The reports emerging from the Pakistani side regarding an attack on a UN vehicle are completely false and factually incorrect,” the official was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times. “There was no firing from the Indian side in this sector on Friday. Since movements of UN vehicles are known in advance, the question does not arise of any such firing.”
There have been several instances of Pakistani troops resorting to ceasefire violations along the LoC over the last few months. In November, eleven people, including six civilians, four Indian Army soldiers and a Border Security Force sub inspector, were killed after Pakistani troops fired along the LoC.
On October 1, three soldiers were killed and five injured in two separate incidents of heavy shelling along the military control line.
On September 15, Pakistani troops fired with small arms and shelled mortars along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, killing an Indian soldier and wounding two, including an officer. The injured soldiers were admitted to a military hospital.
An Indian Army officer was killed on September 2 at Keri area of the Rajouri district in alleged ceasefire violations along the Line of Control on August 30. Another army soldier was killed in firing by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Rajouri district on July 31.
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