Two Pakistani citizens were killed by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) gunfire on Friday, October 2, 2026, near the India-Pakistan international border, sparking diplomatic tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The incident occurred near Rajoke village in India’s Tarn Taran sector, Punjab, and Ludhar village in Pakistan’s Kasur district.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned India’s acting High Commissioner, Saad Ahmad Warraich, to protest the killings. The ministry accused Indian Border Security Force personnel of using “lethal force” on “unarmed citizens” without provocation. “Such use of force was completely unjustified and highly disproportionate, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives,” the ministry stated. Pakistan has demanded an immediate, transparent, and credible investigation into the incident, along with appropriate disciplinary and legal action against those found responsible. It also requested official notification of the investigation’s findings and actions taken.
India’s Punjab Police, however, claimed the deceased were infiltrators attempting to enter Indian territory. According to Punjab Police DSP Atul Soni, BSF personnel encountered three Pakistani citizens near the border outpost (BOP) Rajoke. Soni stated that the BSF warned them that they were in Indian territory and should return. However, the individuals refused and lay down in a field. After repeated warnings were ignored, BSF personnel informed their senior officers and subsequently opened fire. Three individuals then fled towards Pakistan; two died on the spot from gunshot wounds, while one managed to escape back to Pakistan. The deceased were identified by Pakistani security sources as Azmat Rasool and Mohsin Jatt, residents of Jatawali Haveli, Ludhar village.
Pakistan has urged India to ensure respect for fundamental human rights and international law, as well as strict adherence to relevant bilateral arrangements and established border procedures. The ministry also accused Indian media of promoting a “false flag operation” narrative, thereby disregarding the lives of innocent citizens. Pakistan is coordinating with relevant authorities for the repatriation of the bodies and medical assistance for any injured.
Long-standing border tensions
The incident adds to the long-standing border disputes and infiltration attempts that frequently escalate tensions between India and Pakistan. The Kashmir conflict remains a primary source of friction, leading to numerous wars and military confrontations. Another unresolved issue is the Sir Creek dispute, a 96-kilometre marshy strip between Gujarat and Pakistan’s Sindh province, which has been a decades-old point of contention over maritime boundary demarcation. Despite mutual guarantees not to attack each other’s nuclear facilities, border tensions persist. Analysts often suggest that Pakistan sometimes uses border escalations to divert attention from internal issues or growing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
India has not yet issued an official response to Pakistan’s demands for an investigation or the summoning of its acting High Commissioner. The official identification of the deceased Pakistani citizens from the Indian side has also not been publicly released. It remains unclear whether an independent investigation into the incident will be conducted and what specific “established border procedures” and “bilateral arrangements” were followed by the BSF before opening fire.
