Pakistan summons Sr Indian diplomat, lodges protest over ceasefire violations

ISLAMABAD : A senior Indian diplomat has been summoned to the Foreign Office to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC). A statement issued by Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry Thursday said that India had violated the ceasefire agreement on the LOC on August 12 and in the unprovoked firing of Indian forces two innocent civilians were seriously injured. The statement said that the Indian occupying forces were continuously targeting the civilian population on the LOC and the Working Boundary. “Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Jandrot Sector of the LoC, 40 year old Shakeela Bibi w/o Muhammad Rafeeq and 12 year old Ayesha Kausar d/o Muhammad Rafeeq, residents of Village Fanjot, sustained serious injuries,” the statement said. Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said the Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 1961 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 16 shahadats and serious injuries to 160 innocent civilians. Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, the statement said 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.  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. It was added that 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 and Kashmir (IIOJK). 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 Foreign Office spokesman said that 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.