INDIA SUMMONS PAKISTANI ENVOY

Demarche makes specific reference to LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali who was held recently

India summoned Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit and issued a demarche over Pakistan’s support to cross-border terrorism in Kashmir.

Amid growing strains in bilateral ties, India on Tuesday summoned Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit and issued a strong demarche over Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, which has fuelled unrest in the Valley.

Foreign secretary S Jaishankar called Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in Kashmir during an encounter.

“Jaishankar called in the Pakistan envoy and issued a strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan. Demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pak national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Pakistan, was arrested on July 25 with weapons and communication equipment of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Basit.

“Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkare-Toiba camps, he was infiltrated into India. He was thereafter in touch with an ‘operations room’ of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India,” it said. Basit’s summoning comes on a day when the Prime Minister reached out to the people of Kashmir, which has been witnessing unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces.