FO summons Indian envoy over 'killing' of Pakistani prisoner in occupied Kashmir

Pakistan on Wednesday sought an explanation from India on the reported "killing" of a Pakistani prisoner in Indian custody in occupied Kashmir.

The Indian Charge d’Affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office and a strong protest was lodged on the reported killing of a Pakistani civilian prisoner, Zia Mustafa, in an incident involving Indian occupation forces in Poonch sector of occupied Kashmir, a statement issued by FO spokesman Asim Iftikhar said.

According to a report carried by The Hindu, Mustafa and three Indian security personnel were injured on Sunday when militants opened fire on a joint search party in Poonch. The report identified Mustafa as a "Pakistani terrorist affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba".

In the statement released today, the FO spokesman said that the Indian envoy was told that the reported killing of the Pakistani prisoner — who was in Indian custody since 2003 — under "mysterious circumstances" at a location away from the prison where he was interned, was not only "intriguing" but also raised serious questions about the well-being, safety and security of Pakistani prisoners in India.

"Regrettably, this is not the first such incident. In the past as well, Pakistani civilian prisoners in India have been found dead under inexplicable circumstances. Pakistan reiterates its condemnation of the dastardly Indian practice of extra-judicial killing of Pakistani and Kashmiri prisoners in fake encounters," the FO statement said.

The spokesman said the Indian government was told to "urgently authenticate" this particular incident, undertake a credible and transparent investigation, ensure justice, and hold the perpetrators accountable.

"The Indian government was further reminded to fulfill its obligations to ensure the safety, security and humane treatment of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails/detention centres pending their release or repatriation," the FO spokesman said.