New Delhi: Days after two Indian soldiers were killed by Pakistani troops near the Line of Control (LoC), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh broke his silence on Tuesday saying that after the “barbaric act”, there cannot be “business as usual” with the neighbouring country.
Speaking on the occasion of the 65th Army Day, the Prime Minister said that those responsible for killing and mutilating Indian soldiers should be brought to book. “What happened at the Line of Control is unacceptable,” said Singh.
Later the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement condemning the killings and demanded a fair probe by Pakistan. Below is the full text of the MEA statement.
Statement by External Affairs Minister on the killing of two Indian Soldiers in the Mendhar sector of LoC
January 15, 2013
The recent incident of the killing of two Indian soldiers in the Mendhar sector and the barbaric mutilation of their bodies has been condemned in the strongest possible terms. Government has deplored this grave provocation and repugnant act of the Pakistan army and called on the Government of Pakistan to carry out a proper investigation of this unacceptable action and ensure that this does not recur.
This was immediately conveyed by our Director General Military Operations to his Pakistani counterpart after this incident and reiterated during the Brigadier level Flag Meeting held at Chakan da Bagh yesterday. Foreign Secretary had summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner on January 09, a day after this heinous incident and lodged a strong protest on the actions of the Pakistan army.
It should not be felt that the brazen denial and the lack of a proper response from the Government of Pakistan to our repeated demarches on this incident will be ignored and that bilateral relations could be unaffected or that there will be business as usual. Such actions by the Pakistan army, which are in contravention of all norms of international conduct, not only constitute a grave provocation but lead us to draw appropriate conclusions about Pakistan’s seriousness in pursuing normalisation of relations with India.
New Delhi
January 15, 2013
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