Ceasefire violation: 'Pak ready for third party to verify if India doesn't believe its claims'

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has denied Pakistan's hand in the killings of two Indian soldiers Lance Naik Hemraj and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh. Speaking to CNN-IBN, she said Pakistan is ready for a third party to verify their claims if 'India doesn't believe in its inquiry'.

"We have ordered an independent investigation, but we are offering more, let a third party investigate the issue," Khar said. She also told CNN-IBN that Pakistan has completed its investigation.

Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations also spoke to his Indian counterpart over the telephone and denied that Pakistani troops killed Indian soldiers.

This came even as India lodged a protest against the killing of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops in Poonch. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "Regular Pakistan troops crossed the Line of Control at Mendhar sector and engaged the Indian troops who were patrolling this sector. Two Indian soldiers were killed in the attack and their bodies subjected to barbaric and inhuman mutilation."

The MEA also said that the government of Pakistan has been asked to investigate the matter. "The Government of Pakistan was asked to immediately investigate these actions that are in contravention of all norms of international conduct and ensure that these do not recur," the MEA statement said.

"Foreign Secretary recalled that the experts of both countries had met in New Delhi on December 27, 2012 to discuss conventional CBMs, wherein maintaining the sanctity of the LOC, one of the most important CBMs between the two countries, was emphasized," the statement added.

In a major escalation to the ceasefire violations and infiltration attempts, a group of Pakistan Army soldiers raided across the Line of Control in Mendhar Sector and killed two Indian soldiers and injured one more. The Pakistani troops attacked an area domination patrol party of the Indian Army. In the ensuing gunfight two Indian soldiers were killed and the body of one of them was mutilated by the intruders.