Indian envoy summoned over 'hoax call' from India

Pakistan summoned the Indian envoy here to protest over a hoax phone call received from India at the Sindh provincial governor's official residence, authorities said on Monday.

Foreign office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday by Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Muhammad Faisal, who informed the envoy about the threatening phone call received at the official residence of Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan.

The call, received on October 23, threatened that the Governor House, located in Karachi, would be blown up with explosives.

Intelligence and law enforcement agencies were informed about the threat and they sprang into action tightening the security around the building.

"Details of the call were also shared with him (Singh) and it was requested that the Indian government may have the matter investigated and share results with Pakistan at the earliest," said Khalilullah.

The foreign office also lodged a protest with India over the latest "unprovoked ceasefire violations" that killed at least three people and injured several others at the Working Boundary (International Border) in Kashmir.

Security officials earlier said that the Indian border forces shelled Pakistani border areas in Shakargarh sector in Punjab province over the past few days.

"The Indian Deputy High Commissioner, J.P. Singh, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protest over the unprovoked ceasefire violations by India during the nights of October 23-25 at Shakargarh and Zafarwal Sectors of the Working Boundary," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"As a result of latest ceasefire violations by the Indian Border Security Forces, three civilians, including a teenage girl, embraced shahadat (martyrdom) and 23 others got injured," a statement said.

Guns had relatively been silent since Pakistan and India declared a ceasefire in 2003 along the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region. However, border troops on both sides occasionally trade fire.

An escalation has been seen in recent months that caused casualties on both sides. Both accuse each other of violations.

Last month, border officials of both countries in their talks in New Delhi agreed to strictly implement the ceasefire.

"The government of Pakistan stressed upon India to stop forthwith the ceasefire violations and respect the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement for restoration of peace and tranquility at the LoC and the Working Boundary," the statement said.

Indian officials have also reported "firing by Pakistani forces" across the LoC in Kashmir. - IANS