Top India ministers to discuss Indo-Pak border violence, 'spy drone' claims

Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called an urgent meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to review the overall situation in the wake of fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The high-level meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held at the Home Ministry in the North Block with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in attendance.

Sources said Singh has called for the meeting to undertake a complete review of the emerging situation in the backdrop of hectic developments on the security and diplomatic fronts in the last two days.

Border Security Force (BSF) Director General D K Pathak also met Doval at his office earlier in the day and briefed him about the ground security situation along the border, they said.

The latest developments come barely a week after Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met in Russia breaking the deadlock and deciding to re-engage.

Read: India, Pakistan in blame-game over ceasefire, airspace violations

The two neighbours, however, were back to a blame game today over ceasefire violations with both sides lodging protests.

While India lodged protests with Pakistan both in New Delhi and in Islamabad, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest over "air space violation" by an alleged Indian "spy" drone near the Line of Control and "ceasefire violation".

Along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani Rangers today indulged in heavy firing and mortar shelling on five border outposts and some villages in Jammu district which left four people injured, a day after a woman was killed in the ceasefire violations prompting India to lodge protests with Pakistan.

There have been a total of nine ceasefire violations during July. A woman, Poli Devi, was killed and six others, including two BSF jawans, were injured yesterday in firing and mortar shelling in Jammu district by Pakistan Rangers.

Read: Pakistan shoots down Indian ‘spy’ drone

The latest round of ceasefire violations come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Jammu tomorrow to attend the centenary celebrations of former state Finance Minister Girdhari Lal Dogra. 

Earlier in the day, Pakistan summoned India's High Commissioner to Foreign Office here and lodged strong protest over "air space violation" by an alleged Indian "spy" drone near the Line of Control and "ceasefire violation".

High Commissioner TCA Raghavan was called to the Foreign Office by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry to lodge the protest over air space violation at Banchirian Sector near LoC yesterday, said a statement issued by the Foreign Office here.

It said an Indian spy drone entered Pakistan’s air space in violation of the International Law, Pakistan’s territorial integrity and the two Agreements of 1991 on Air Space Violation and Standard Operation Procedures of Advance Notice for Military Exercises, Military Manoeuvres and Troops Movement.

Read: Defence Ministry denies Pakistan's claims of shooting down Indian 'spy drone'

Pakistan Army yesterday claimed that the Indian drone was being used for aerial photography near the LoC in Bhimber area of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was "brought down for violation of Pakistan's territorial integrity".

The Indian Army as well as the Indian Air Force denied that any of their drones had been shot down or crashed.

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary also registered the Government's concern over Heli maneuvers near LoC on July 11 2015, which was an offensive and threatening posture.

Protest was also lodged for the "unprovoked ceasefire violation" by the BSF at Phuklian-Akhnor sector early morning on July 15, which continued until sunset, it said.

The Foreign Secretary also protested the ceasefire violations, which took place this morning at LoC and International Boundary, resulting in the death of one person and injury of three others.

Read: Pakistan removes spy cameras from international border

Chaudhry emphasised that in the spirit of maintaining peace and tranquillity at the LoC and International Border, and the region at large, it was important that the 2003 Understanding on maintaining ceasefire is observed. Raghavan said he will convey the message to his government.

Days after India and Pakistan agreed to re-engage, fresh strains surfaced in the ties yesterday after Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire twice by resorting to firing and mortar shelling in the Akhnoor sector in which a woman was killed and six others, including two BSF jawans, were injured.

The Pakistan Army, in a statement, alleged that four civilians had been killed in firing by Indian security forces across the LoC. The Army claimed three were killed and five injured in Sialkot's Chaprar sector while another person was killed in Rawalakot's Neza Pir sector.