New Delhi: India issued a demarche to Pakistan on Tuesday, summoning a senior official of Pakistan high commission to lodge a “strong protest” over the killing of three Indian soldiers by terrorists near the LoC on Sunday.

Pakistan was also asked to take back the bodies of the two terrorists killed in the encounter that had taken place at the Sunderbani sector in Jammu.

New Delhi “condemned in the strongest terms such provocative action by Pakistan,” saying it reveals Islamabad’s “complicity in aiding and abetting terrorism and exposes the hollowness of Pakistan’s deceitful claims to promote constructive engagement and desire for peace.”

In a statement, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said, “It was informed that two Pakistani armed intruders have been killed by the Indian security forces during the ensuing firefight and the government of Pakistan (has been asked to) take custody of the dead bodies of its nationals.”

“Our grave concern at the continuing incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Pakistan forces along the LoC (Line of Control) and the IB (international border) was also shared. Despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquillity, Pakistan forces have carried out 1,591 incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC and IB in 2018 so far.

“Pakistan was called on to abide by its bilateral commitment not to allow any territory under its control to be used to support terrorism against India in any manner,” the MEA added.

Fishing in troubled waters, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had claimed, on Monday, that atrocities are being perpetrated in J&K even as he remained silent on Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

The Pakistan PM had demanded that New Delhi resolve the Kashmir issue through a plebiscite conducted in Kashmir. Predictably, his tweet had drawn a sharp reaction from New Delhi, on Monday evening, which had termed the remarks “deeply regrettable.”

Hitting back hard, New Delhi added that “Pakistan’s deceitful stand on dialogue, while supporting terror and violence, stands exposed to the whole world.”