Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over deadly cross-border strikes

Pakistan has summoned India’s acting chargé d’affaires to lodge a formal and forceful protest over what it described as “unprovoked strikes” by the Indian military on Pakistani territory, including areas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, during the night of May 7.

The strikes resulted in multiple civilian casualties, including women and children, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a strongly worded statement released on May 7.

According to the statement, “The acting chargé d'affaires of India was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to receive Pakistan’s strongest protest regarding unprovoked Indian strikes on several locations in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These strikes caused deaths and injuries among several civilians, including women and children.”

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry denounced the strikes as “a blatant act of aggression” and said they constituted a “clear violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.” It further emphasised that the attacks were in direct breach of international norms and legal frameworks: “Such actions are contrary to the UN Charter, international law, and established norms governing inter-state relations,” the statement noted.

Pakistan rejected what it called India’s “unsubstantiated justifications” for the military action and warned New Delhi of the consequences of such conduct. “Pakistan firmly rejected the baseless excuses offered by India for its hostile behaviour,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding that the Indian side had been cautioned that “such reckless conduct poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability.”

The protest underscores the rapidly deteriorating relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, which have seen a dramatic rise in tensions following recent military incidents across the Line of Control. Pakistani officials have called on the international community to take note of what they describe as repeated violations of their sovereignty by Indian forces.

By Tamilla Hasanova