Pakistan summons Indian envoy over LoC ceasfire violations

Pakistan has summoned a senior Indian diplomat to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saturday to register strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in serious injuries to two innocent women.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Rakhchikri and Baroh Sectors of the LoC, 35-year-old Shakeela Bibi w/o Khursheed, resident of Village Kirni and 40-year-old Nazia Bibi w/o Mazhar Iqbal, resident of Village Gahi, 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 1697 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 14 martyrdoms of and serious injuries to 133 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 Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

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.