NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD:In an apparent bid to deflect attention from its misadventures along the LoC, Pakistan, Thursday, summoned Indian High Commissioner Dr TCA Raghavan to take up the issue of an alleged Indian ‘spy drone’ that was shot down by Pakistani forces yesterday.
Reports said that Pakistan has registered a strong protest over what it called ‘intrusion into its airspace’ during Dr Raghavan’s visit to the foreign office in Islamabad.
The Indian establishment has denied ownership of the drone. What adds weight to the Indian position is that the drone is of Chinese make, similar to the ones used by the Pakistan Police for highway patrolling.
Also, sources told Zee Media that the UAV had crashed in their own area across the border last month and that it was being used by Pakistani agencies to aid in infiltration into India by terrorists.
“Some reports of a drone crash in PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) are being referred to. No drone or UAV crash of the Indian Army has taken place,” the Defence Ministry said.
Pakistan contends that the drone was being used by Indian forces to conduct aerial photography near the Line of Control in Bhimber in PoK.However, Pakistan is yet to respond positively to India’s growing concerns about repeated ceasefire violations along the border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Media reports said that India has conveyed its objection to the developments along the border to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit in Delhi.
Government sources told news agency PTI that India has lodged a protest both in Islamabad as well as in New Delhi. “Our High Commissioner in Islamabad raised the issue with the Pakistan Foreign Office and Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Delhi was also conveyed India’s concerns regarding ceasefire violation in which one woman was killed and some people injured,” they said on Thursday.