Pakistan lodges protest as Indian ceasefire violations injure 11 civilians

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with India over its recent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), which resulted in the serious injuries to eleven innocent civilians, including six women and four children.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri in a statement said on Monday that a senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday to register the protest.
Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. The Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.
Chaudhri said the Indian occupation forces have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy calibre mortars and automatic weapons along the LOC and the Working Boundary. This year, India has committed more than 2,820 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 26 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 245 innocent civilians.
The spokesperson said these egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security. He said by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
Earlier, at least 11 Pakistani civilians were injured as India opened unprovoked fire, using rockets and heavy mortars, at a wedding taking place near the Line of Control, the Pakistan Army’s media wing said Sunday.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the injured civilians included “6 women and 4 children”.
“Indian Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Khuiratta Sector along Line of Control (LOC) targeting civil population during a marriage ceremony in Jigjot village with rockets and heavy mortars,” the ISPR said.
“Deliberately targeting the civil population particularly women and children reflects lack of morality, non-professionalism and utter disregard of human rights by Indian army as well as violation of ceasefire understanding of 2003”, it added. TLTP