UN vehicle targeted deliberately: FO

ISLAMABAD: As the United Nations on Friday confirmed that a vehicle of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) was damaged after it was hit by an unidentified object near Rawalakot on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan summoned the Indian Chargé d'Affaires to the Foreign Office.

“Pakistan lodged a strong protest at the deliberate targeting of Observers belonging to UNMOGIP. It was conveyed that the reprehensible act also represented a new low in the conduct of Indian occupation forces which target not only innocent civilians residing along the LoC but United Nations Observers as well,” said the Foreign Office.

Pakistan says that targeting UN vehicles appears to be a new coercive and reckless Indian ploy to hinder the Observers’ work.

The Indian diplomat was also told clearly that the brazen act was a flagrant violation of established international norms and represented a complete disregard for principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

The UN Observers were on their way to Polas village in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to meet with the victims of the Indian ceasefire violations in Chirikot Sector of the LoC.

“Both the Observers present in the vehicle thankfully remained unharmed and were safely rescued and evacuated to Rawalakot by the Pakistan Army. However, their vehicle sustained damage. The attack was unambiguously premeditated as UN vehicles are clearly recognisable even from long distances due to their distinctive marking and blue flag,” added the Foreign Office.

The deliberate targeting of a UN vehicle, engaged in discharging the mandate of the UN Security Council, constitutes a grave violation of India’s obligations, under the Council’s resolutions and the UN Charter, which includes the obligation to ensure the safety and security of the UNMOGIP Observers.

“The Indian side was called upon to desist from such blatant violations of international law; respect the 2003 ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India, and let the UNMOGIP perform its role mandated by the UN Security Council,” pointed out the Foreign Office.

Earlier, an unnamed official in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs had denied that there was any firing from the Indian side.

"The reports emerging from Pakistan side regarding attack on UN vehicles are completely false and factually incorrect. There was no firing from the Indian side in this sector today. Since movements of UN vehicles are known in advance, the question does not arise of any such firing. The allegations are baseless," he claimed.

Meanwhile, in a statement, spokesman for the UN secretary general said, “The Mission is currently investigating the incident.” The spokesman said according to details available with him, no one was injured in the incident, but the UNMOGIP vehicle sustained damage.

He said the UN was aware of statements coming from Pakistan and India.

“At this stage, we’re simply aware that a vehicle was hit by an unidentified object, like I said no one was harmed and we are investigating the incident,” he added.

He said the incident occurred when the UNMOGIP military Observers were conducting routine monitoring activities near Rawalakot as part of the Mission’s mandate to observe and report on ceasefire violations at the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.