'It Should Not Be Felt... That There Will Be Business As Usual'

Statement by External Affairs Minister on the killing of two Indian Soldiers in the Mendhar sector of LoC

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.

Q&A

Salman sahib, jis tarah ki ghatna Pakistan ke dwara ki gayi hai uske baad aapko lagta hai ki sarkar ki taraf se lagatar protest darj kiya gaya lekin Pakistan ki higher authority ki taraf se abhi tak koi response nahi aaya. Pakistan lagatar yeh keh raha hai ki Bharat ki taraf se failaya gaya ek propaganda hai. [On why there is no response from higher authorities in Pakistan to India's registration of protests and why Pakistan has consistently called it a propaganda spread by the Indian side]

Hum jitna spasht shabdon main aur uske saath jo hamare paas tathye the, unko spasht roop se Pakistan ke adhikariyon ke saamne rakh sakte the vho humne rakhe hain aur ISI karaan aaj hum yeh baat aapke saamne rakh rahein hain kyunki hum apna dayitav samajhte hain, mante hain ki humko bahut samajhdari sujhbooj and dridh sankalp ke saath is sthithi ka saamna hai aur yehi karaan hai ki humne yeh baat aapke saamne rakhi hai. Aage stithi main kya parivartan aata hai aur aage aur koi karvayi dekhne ko milti hai to uske bare main bhi hum aapko koi soochna denge.

We have put all the facts available to us before the Pakistani authorities in as clear words as possible. And that is why we are putting this on record as we consider it our responsibility that we should face this situation with wisdom, and firm conviction. How the situation changes in future, and if we see any action, we'll keep you fully informed

You said that it is not going to be business as usual. What tangibles is the Government talking about?

Well, it's best that we leave it at this point. I think specifics of what might be necessary or found useful are decisions that will be taken as we move forward. At present, we feel that it's important that a convergent single point of view on behalf of the government which reflects a large section of our public opinion should be made clear and let it be known to everyone here as well as across the border that we are extremely determined and serious in this concern of ours and we have taken resort to all such instruments and all such methods that are available to us at this time.