Pakistan summons Indian envoy to lodge protest over killing of two civilians

The Indian Chargé d’Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday to lodge Pakistan’s strong protest over the killing of two Pakistani civilians by personnel of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in the Bedian Sector along the International Border on Friday.

According to a press release issued by the Foreign Office in Islamabad, the Indian BSF personnel resorted to unprovoked lethal force against unarmed civilians.

“Such use of force was wholly unjustified and grossly disproportionate, resulting in the tragic loss of two precious lives,” the Foreign Office said.

The FO said Pakistan categorically rejected any attempt to mischaracterise the deceased as “infiltrators”.

It was underscored that the incident constituted a serious violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to life, and raised serious concerns regarding the protection of civilian life under international law.

The Indian side was called upon to conduct an immediate, transparent and credible investigation into the incident, take appropriate disciplinary and legal action against those found responsible, and formally communicate the findings and action taken to the Government of Pakistan.

India was further urged to ensure respect for fundamental human rights and international law, strictly observe relevant bilateral arrangements and established border procedures, exercise maximum restraint in dealing with such situations, and take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.