IceCold
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By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has sought a report from officials concerned on how and why an Indian minister crossed into Pakistan territory at the Wagah border on Friday, violating all rules and regulations.
Though the Indian media is reporting it as an inadvertent crossing into Pakistan, Indian Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Rameshs stroll on Pakistani soil is being seen by some diplomatic observers as a show of disrespect for Pakistans sovereignty.
Indian media reported that accompanied by some Indian officials, including Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, KS Pannu and some Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, Ramesh went up to the conference hall of Pakistan Rangers, about 40 yards inside Pakistan.
The government in Islamabad has taken serious view of the incident, as it does not comply with diplomatic norms. The Interior Ministry has also asked the officials concerned to submit their report about the incident.
Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, told The News that he could comment only after the receipt of the report about the stated incidence.
Interestingly a similar incident took place in the early days of Pakistan when former Indian army chief General Kairiappa drove to Lahore on his jeep when another former commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, General Musa Khan, was commander Lahore. They were then brigadiers and were friends since before independence. On seeing the Indian brigadier in his garrison outside his office, Brig Musa shouted at him and ordered him to return to his soil immediately otherwise he would be arrested or shot. He reminded him that you are in an independent country which is no more part of India. On this, the Indian army officer regretfully rushed back.
In the case of Friday incident, the Indian minister was not received by any of the Pakistani officials when he entered Pakistan in violation of international law. It was also in contrast to the protocol when a foreign high official visits another country.
I went only two steps and did not go to Pakistan, said Ramesh, when asked how he could cross the international border without any legal papers. BSF Inspector-General Arvind Ranjan said: We dont allow any one to cross the border without visa or legal documents, but we ourselves go to attend the meetings across the border as per schedule.
Noting that he was not present when Ramesh crossed the border, Ranjan said he would look into the matter after getting the reports from BSF officials in attendance.
A highly placed immigration source said: The minister crossed the border just out of curiosity. Even the Pakistani Rangers did not stop him, while he was entering Pakistan.
Pannu said the ministers visit was aimed at examining the border area, which is likely to be modernised for improving trade links with Pakistan.
Visiting Pakistan without any legal document was not an issue, he added.
Pakistan could take up the matter with the Indians officially. Islamabad could opt to lodge a protest with New Delhi about the incident after receiving the report as any national of either side of the border could take many years to return home once he crosses in an unauthorised way. But this did not happen in the case of the Union Minister of India, diplomatic observers remarked.
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has sought a report from officials concerned on how and why an Indian minister crossed into Pakistan territory at the Wagah border on Friday, violating all rules and regulations.
Though the Indian media is reporting it as an inadvertent crossing into Pakistan, Indian Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Rameshs stroll on Pakistani soil is being seen by some diplomatic observers as a show of disrespect for Pakistans sovereignty.
Indian media reported that accompanied by some Indian officials, including Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, KS Pannu and some Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, Ramesh went up to the conference hall of Pakistan Rangers, about 40 yards inside Pakistan.
The government in Islamabad has taken serious view of the incident, as it does not comply with diplomatic norms. The Interior Ministry has also asked the officials concerned to submit their report about the incident.
Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, told The News that he could comment only after the receipt of the report about the stated incidence.
Interestingly a similar incident took place in the early days of Pakistan when former Indian army chief General Kairiappa drove to Lahore on his jeep when another former commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, General Musa Khan, was commander Lahore. They were then brigadiers and were friends since before independence. On seeing the Indian brigadier in his garrison outside his office, Brig Musa shouted at him and ordered him to return to his soil immediately otherwise he would be arrested or shot. He reminded him that you are in an independent country which is no more part of India. On this, the Indian army officer regretfully rushed back.
In the case of Friday incident, the Indian minister was not received by any of the Pakistani officials when he entered Pakistan in violation of international law. It was also in contrast to the protocol when a foreign high official visits another country.
I went only two steps and did not go to Pakistan, said Ramesh, when asked how he could cross the international border without any legal papers. BSF Inspector-General Arvind Ranjan said: We dont allow any one to cross the border without visa or legal documents, but we ourselves go to attend the meetings across the border as per schedule.
Noting that he was not present when Ramesh crossed the border, Ranjan said he would look into the matter after getting the reports from BSF officials in attendance.
A highly placed immigration source said: The minister crossed the border just out of curiosity. Even the Pakistani Rangers did not stop him, while he was entering Pakistan.
Pannu said the ministers visit was aimed at examining the border area, which is likely to be modernised for improving trade links with Pakistan.
Visiting Pakistan without any legal document was not an issue, he added.
Pakistan could take up the matter with the Indians officially. Islamabad could opt to lodge a protest with New Delhi about the incident after receiving the report as any national of either side of the border could take many years to return home once he crosses in an unauthorised way. But this did not happen in the case of the Union Minister of India, diplomatic observers remarked.
Really! is that how you explain border violation and that too of a hostile nation.
