India rejects Pak’s shelling charge

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 20

Pakistan sought to up the ante on the alleged attack by India on a vehicle of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) along the Line of Control even as the Ministry of External Affairs denied it.

Pakistan wrote to the UN Secretary General (UNSG) stating the “deliberate targeting” of a clearly marked UN vehicle with its distinctive blue flag appeared to be a “new, coercive and reckless ploy by India” to hinder UNMOGIP’s work.

In response to media queries on the allegations, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said Pakistan’s allegations about deliberate targeting of a UN vehicle on December 18 were investigated in detail and found to be “factually incorrect and false”.

“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, Pakistan should responsibly investigate its lapses, he said.

Pakistan has alleged that Indian ceasefire violations this year led to 276 casualties, including 92 women and 68 children.