India and Pakistan revisited familiar territory, registering simultaneous protests with each other today. While India summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner to protest the killing of an Indian fisherman by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Islamabad protested violation by an Indian Dornier aircraft which apparently flew over its maritime exclusive economic zone.The incidents took place last Monday. An Indian fishing boat Avani returned to Okha harbour in Gujarat with the body of 21-year-old fisherman Shanti Lal Mangal. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, he was killed in firing by a PMSA vessel. This was further confirmed through internal inquiries.“The Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi was summoned today to the Ministry and a protest lodged against the killing of the unarmed fisherman. The matter is also being taken up by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad with the Pakistan Foreign Office,” said the External Affairs ministry spokesperson.Pakistan, however, contests this and claims that no such incident took place that day. According to Pakistan High Commission officials, the records have been checked and they have found no incident of firing to have occurred in the area on that day. This was conveyed to Indian authorities when the protest was lodged today.Some hours later on the same day, India said, a PMSA ship Vehdaat towed away three Indian fishing boats—MNF Bhiva, PFB Puspak and MFB Shiv Mukti—along with a crew of about 25 persons. This happened while an Indian Coast Guard ship was rescuing another fishing boat that had been set on fire.While this boat along with its crew was saved, the other three were towed away. India has protested this demanding return of these fishermen along with their boats.Pakistan, on the other hand, completely denies this. Its version of the story is that the Vehdaat was chasing away fishing boats so that they do not cross the notional maritime boundary by mistake. Instead, Islamabad claims that Indian Coast Guard’s Dornier aircraft harassed Vehdaat by carrying out low flying sorties.It has lodged a protest on this with Indian authorities here and in Islamabad.‘Dalai Lama welcome to preach in Tibet if he gives up separatism’NEW DELHI: Appreciating India’s support to the one-China principle, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi said today that the Dalai Lama was welcome to preach Buddhism in Tibet if he gave up the notion of a separate country. ‘‘If he gives up separatism, he is welcome and can preach religion,’’ Sun said, adding that Beijing would never come in the way of the Tibetan peoples’ religious beliefs. He refuted allegations that there was religious persecution in Tibet and hoped that the delegation of the Dalai Lama’s representatives which is visiting China these days would see the freedom with which religion practiced there. On Taiwan, another sensitive issue, the Chinese Ambassador reacted strongly to comments made by Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian on January 29 on the occasion of the Chinese lunar spring festival. The Taiwan leader had advocated independence for Taiwan, to which Beijing has taken exception. ‘‘The Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole China and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,’’ he said.
