India summons Pakistan Chargé d’Affaires over Ferozepur border incident

India has summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi to protest what it called the continued facilitation of illegal crossings along the international border, and to reject Pakistani claims about a fatal exchange of fire in Punjab.
The Ministry of External Affairs called in the Chargé d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission on Saturday (Oct 3) and lodged a “strong protest over the continued facilitation of illegal cross-border infiltration” from Pakistan. The Indian foreign ministry “categorically rejected the baseless and motivated allegations” concerning an incident in the Ferozepur sector on 2 October.
According to the Indian account, three people crossed into Indian territory near the border fence. Border Security Force personnel issued repeated warnings ordering them to return to Pakistan. The individuals did not comply and continued to move towards the fence. The BSF was then “compelled to engage them for posing an imminent security threat.”
The Indian side described the episode as part of a recurring pattern of armed narcotics syndicates operating from the Pakistani side of the frontier. They said such groups have repeatedly attempted unauthorised movement across the international boundary, often under cover of darkness.
The Pakistani side was told that Islamabad should investigate the infiltration and drug-smuggling activity, including “the complicity of Pakistan Border Guarding forces therein, and to take appropriate remedial measures.” New Delhi further urged Pakistan “to ensure respect for the sanctity of the International Border, strictly observe relevant bilateral arrangements, mandate its forces to exercise effective control to prevent unauthorised movement from its side, and take definitive measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.”
Narcotics trafficking, particularly of heroin and synthetic drugs, has long been cited by Indian security agencies as a driver of armed infiltration attempts in Punjab and neighbouring sectors by elements on the Pakistani side.