Fisherman killing: Pakistan Deputy envoy summoned, India lodges protest

NEW DELHI: India today summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan and lodged a strong protest over firing by its forces on Indian fishermen in which one of them died off the Gujarat coast.

Khan, who was summoned by Joint Secretary (Pakistan) in the External Affairs Ministry here, was told about India's "great concern" that the incident of last Friday took place "amidst the stated desire" by Pakistan that it wants peaceful, friendly and cooperative bilateral ties.

He was told that the incident should be probed thoroughly and its results shared with India at the earliest.

"It was conveyed to him (Khan) that the Government of India condemns the incident of indiscriminatory firing on unarmed Indian fishermen by a vessel of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency near the Indo-Pakistan international maritime boundary line on October 11, 2013 which led to the death of an Indian fishermen," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

"We have asked (Pakistan) that the incident be thoroughly investigated and its results be shared at an early date," he said.

Khan was informed that it is of "great concern that an incident of this nature has taken place amidst the stated desire by Pakistan for peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties with India".

Personnel of Pakistani Maritime Security Agency opened fire on Indian fishing boat 'Dhanvati' on Friday morning in the international waters off the Jakhau coast in Gujarat, killing one fishermen and abducting 30 others, according to Porbandar Boat association vice-president Manish Lodhari. Five Indian boats were also taken away by them.

The incident took place around a fortnight after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif met in New York, with the Indian leader asserting that peace and tranquility on the border are essential for normalisation of relations.

After the firing incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had demanded that the central government should take this issue seriously.