Pakistan summons Indian Charge d’Affaires over ceasefire violations

Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia was summoned by Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in one Shahadat and serious injuries to six innocent civilians.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring (Tata Pani) Sector of the LoC, 18-year-old Aneela d/o Abdul Kareem, resident of Village Fatehpur embraced shahadat and 22-year-old Abdul Naeem s/o Abdul Kareem, 18 year old Saira d/o Abdul Kareem and 40 year old Shamim Akhtar w/o Abdul Kareem, residents of Village Fatehpur; and 12-year-old Atteqa Shabbir d/o Muhammad Shabbir, 14 year old Sana d/o Muhammad Shabbir and 28-year-old Zulfiqar Sharif s/o Muhammad Sharif, residents of Village Tahi, sustained serious injuries.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 1877 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 15 shahadats and serious injuries to 144 innocent civilians.

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. 

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).

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.