ISLAMABAD, June 22: Pakistan will lodge a protest with the United Nations over brutal torture and killing of a soldier of Pakistan Rangers by the Indian army, who was allowed in no mans land for the recovery of two stray camels on Wednesday at Fort Abbass in Bhawalpur sector.

An autopsy of Lance Naik Maqsood’s body, handed back to the Pakistan Army on Thursday, showed that he was subjected to “third degree torture” and was shot at a close range, ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi told a press conference on Saturday.

A video film of the body was also screened at the press conference where many foreign newsmen were also present.

The doctor, who conducted the autopsy, narrated on the occasion that there were 14 wounds on Maqsood’s body including the signs of electric shocks. Severe bruises on the wrists showed that he was tied with ropes. One of his ears was amputated, and his face and eyes also bore injuries.

The film also showed a bullet hole in the chest, which, the doctor said, was fired at a point-blank range as it had pierced through the heart breaking the ribs cage.

“It is evident from the mutilated body that the soldier was subjected to intense torture by burning his skin with cigarette butts, shooting him in the leg and beating before the fatal shot at a point-blank range,” Mr Qureshi said. He refuted the Indian claims that Maqsood had been killed in cross fire.

It was a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions, and Pakistan would launch a protest with the UN, he added.

Straying of animals was not an unusual incident as normally soldiers of both countries would go to each other’s area for the recovery of these animals, he added.

On June 19 at 5.15pm, when Maqsood went to no mans land for the recovery of camels, he was captured and dragged by eight to ten Indian soldiers to their post, where he was later tortured and killed.

Mr Qureshi said that later in an exchange of fire, seven to eight Indian army soldiers, including an assistant commandant, were killed. Mr Qureshi, appealing to the international community to take stock of the situation, said the incident or the Indian spy plane’s entry into the Pakistani airspace could have resulted into an all-out war between the two countries.

He also called upon the Indian government to carry out a probe into the incident and punish those responsible for the blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions.

He also urged New Delhi to move its troops to the peace-time positions for removing chances of an accidental war between India and Pakistan.

In reply to a question, he said the current incident on the international borders had worsened the situation. “In such a situation it is very hard to control the troops,” he added.

Answering another question, he said the ensued exchange of fire involved artillery, and there were also traces of the use of tank rounds.

INDIA DENIES CHARGES: New Delhi on Saturday denied charges by Pakistan that the Indian army had tortured and killed one of its troops on the border, saying the soldier was shot dead as he tried to illegally enter the Indian area.