United Nations has rejected Pakistani army’s claim that Indian troops fired at a vehicle carrying UN military observers near the Line of Control.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said there was no evidence that a vehicle of United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, UNMOGIP, was targeted by the Indian Army along the LoC near the Khanjar sector.

Talking to reporters Mr Dujarric said, UNMOGIP military observers accompanied by Pakistani Army escorts heard gunshots in Bhimber district in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. He said, no UN military observer was injured in the incident.

In a statement, the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, the Inter-Services Public Relations, ISPR, had said that a vehicle carrying two officers of the UN military observer group came under attack by Indian troops during a visit to the LoC.

The Pakistan Army had claimed the vehicle was carrying UNMOGIP officers Major Emmanual of the Philippines and Major Mirko of Croatia.

According to the UN Security Council mandate of 1971, UNMOGIP observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the LoC and the Working Boundary between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

India has maintained that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control.

The observer group is headed by Major Gen Per Lodin of Sweden. It currently has 38 military observers and 73 civilian personnel.