The diplomatic spat between India and Pakistan worsened on Monday, with India summoning Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner, Syed Haider Shah, to lodge a strong protest against the “unprovoked firing’’ by Pakistani forces at the LoC. The incident had resulted in the death of five civilians.
“It was conveyed that the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians using high-calibre weapons was highly deplorable, and condemned in the strongest terms,’’ according to a press release issued by the ministry of external affairs. Reportedly, there were 560 such violations in 2018. “Such heinous acts are against established humanitarian conduct. Pakistan authorities are called upon to investigate such heinous acts and instruct its forces to desist immediately,’’ the release read.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan expressed “deep disappointment'' over the non-issuance of visas to pilgrims to participate in the Ajmer Urs. Allegedly, India did not issue visas to 503 pilgrims. “The visit was to take place under the the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol of Visits to Religious Shrines, and is an annual feature,'' a statement from the office of the spokesperson read. In January, India barred 192 pilgrims from attending the Urs of saint Nizammuddin Auliya, according to the spokesperson.
This move undermines the “efforts aimed at improving the environment, increasing people-to-people contacts and normalising relations between the two countries'', the statement read. Pakistan blames "Indian delays'' for the inability of Sikh pilgrims to visit their shrines. The statement says that, in 2017, Pakistan had offered to dispatch a special train for visitors to the shrines of Guru Arjan Dev and Ranjit Singh, on their martyrdom anniversary.
“Similarly, in February 2018, the government of Pakistan had made all the arrangements for the visit of 173 Katas Raj pilgrims, who, regrettably, were forced to withdraw their applications from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, owing to non-issuance of necessary clearance by the ministry of external affairs in India,'' said the spokesperson's office. Sources in India, however, claimed that the requisite security clearances weren't there.
These charges come a day after fresh allegations of harassment of Indian officials in Pakistan. Another verbal note was sent on Sunday by the Indian high commission to the ministry of foreign affairs in Pakistan. Three incidents were highlighted, including the second secretary at the Indian high commission being intimidated by people in a car. He was reportedly going to a restaurant, when he was followed by unidentified people. The website of the Indian High Commission was blocked in Pakistan, sources claimed. There was also another incident where Indian officials were aggressively followed on a motorbike while going to a market. This verbal note was the 13th to be issued by India, sources claimed.