India summons Pakistan deputy high commissioner, lodges protest
India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner here to lodge a strong protest over Pakistan Air Force’s bid to attack Indian military installations, External Affairs Ministry sources said.
According to sources, Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah, who was summoned to the South Block here, also told Indian officials about capturing of an Indian pilot by Pakistani authorities.
India has accused Pakistan of using its Air Force to target Indian military installations on Wednesday morning in response to pre-dawn counter-terror strikes of Tuesday against Jaish-e-Mohammad camps in Pakistan.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign office also summoned India’s Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned what it called “unprovoked ceasefire violations” by the Indian forces along the Line of Control resulting in killing of four civilians.
New Delhi has said that Pakistani fighter jets tried to target its military installations on Wednesday morning but their attempts were foiled by the Indian Air Force.
“Due to our high state of readiness and alertness, Pakistan’s attempts were foiled successfully,” said External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
India said that Pakistani fighter jets were detected and the Indian Air Force responded instantly. The government said that an IAF pilot who engaged with the Pakistani aircraft that violated Indian airspace on Wednesday morning was missing in action.
