Pakistan Protests Fatal Border Shooting, Seeks Investigation

Pakistan summoned India’s chargé d’affaires on October 3 to protest the killing of two men in a Border Security Force shooting near the international border in Punjab, a day earlier. Islamabad called for an investigation and asked India to take disciplinary and legal action against anyone found responsible. The circumstances of the shooting remain disputed, with Indian and Pakistani officials giving different accounts of the men’s actions. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the two men were unarmed civilians and that they had not attempted to cross the border fence. The ministry described the shooting as unjustified and called for an immediate, transparent and credible investigation. It also asked India to formally communicate the investigation’s findings and any action taken, and to take steps to prevent similar incidents. Indian police officer Atul Soni said three people approached the Indian side and one returned to Pakistan. The two others continued moving toward India despite warnings from BSF personnel, he said. Soni attributed to a BSF sentry the account that the men said they wanted to enter Indian territory. The BSF then opened fire, killing the two, according to Soni.