ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned India’s chargé d’affaires on Saturday and lodged a strong protest over the killing of two Pakistani civilians in firing by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in the Bedian Sector along the international border.
The incident took place on Oct. 2, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, which said the BSF used what it described as “unprovoked lethal force” against unarmed civilians, resulting in the deaths of two people. Pakistan also rejected any attempt to characterize the deceased as infiltrators.
The Foreign Office demanded an immediate, transparent and credible investigation into the incident and called on India to take disciplinary and legal action against those found responsible.
Pakistan also asked the Indian side to formally communicate the findings of the investigation and details of any action taken against the personnel involved.
Conflicting Accounts Over Border Shooting
The two sides have offered sharply different accounts of the incident.
According to Pakistani security sources cited by state media, three residents of Ladhar village moved a few steps beyond a border pillar when BSF personnel opened fire without warning. Two civilians were killed and another was injured. The Pakistani sources said the men were unarmed and had not attempted to cross the border fence.
Indian media, however, reported that BSF personnel shot two Pakistani nationals who allegedly attempted to cross into Indian territory in Punjab’s Tarn Taran sector. Indian reports said the men were warned to stop before the BSF opened fire.
The conflicting accounts could not immediately be independently reconciled.
Pakistan Raises Human Rights Concerns
In its formal protest, Pakistan said the incident constituted a serious violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to life, and raised concerns over the protection of civilians under international law.
Islamabad also urged India to respect fundamental human rights and international law, observe bilateral arrangements and established border procedures, exercise maximum restraint and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Foreign Office’s intervention comes amid renewed sensitivity along the Pakistan-India border, where even isolated incidents involving border personnel and civilians can quickly become a source of diplomatic tension.
Pakistan’s latest protest now places the focus on whether the two sides can establish the facts of the shooting and prevent the incident from triggering further friction along the international border.
