UN refuses to take position on Pak claim of India firing at UN vehicles

The United Nations has refused to take a position on Pakistani claims of Indian forces firing at UN Vehicles at the Line of control

New Delhi: The United Nations has refused to take a position on Pakistani claims of Indian forces firing at UN Vehicles at the Line of control.

In response to a WION question, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN Secretary-General said United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP) vehicle carrying UN military observers "was impacted by an unidentified object" while "conducting routine monitoring activities" near Rawalakot as "part of its mandate to observe and report on ceasefire violations at the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir."

UN Spokesperson did not identify it as an act of Indian troops as claimed by the Pakistani Army. Farhan said, "UNMOGIP personnel and the driver were not harmed but the vehicle sustained some damage" and the mission is "currently investigating the incident."

At the daily presser, in response to questions posed by Indian and Pakistani reporters, he said, "we are aware what both sides have been saying", reiterating, "at this stage, we are simply aware that vehicle was hit by an unidentified object"

Pakistan's Army had released pictures of damaged UN vehicles on Friday (December 18), claiming it was damaged by Indian forces. The Indian Army dismissed the Pakistani allegations saying it did not fire at the UN Vehicles.

Top Indian govt sources termed the Pakistani allegations as "completely false, factually incorrect and baseless". The sources said no firing was done by Indian troops at the particular sector where UN vehicles were present since movements of "UN vehicles are known in advance" and therefore "the question does not arise of any such firing."

Interesting to point out that in 2017, Pakistan had claimed that Indian troops had targeted UN vehicles. At that time the UN said that there is "no evidence" of vehicles being targeted by gunfire.