FO summons Indian envoy over ceasefire violations

ISLAMABAD: Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia was summoned to the Foreign Office Wednesday where he was informed in clear terms that the deliberate and continuing targeting of civilian populated areas across the Line of Control(LoC) was indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.

Director General (SA & Saarc) Dr Muhammad Faisal after summoning the Indian diplomat informed him of the killing of four innocent Pakistani civilians on April 1, namely Muhammad Yousaf, Muhammad Shahzad, Akbar Jaan and Kausar Parveen in Nezapir, Rakhchikri, Hotspring and Jandrot sectors along the LoC.

The very next day, one innocent civilian Muhammad Attique, an eighteen years old boy, resident of Jugal Pal, was martyred and three women, namely Fareeda Begum, Azmat Begum and Rehmat Bibi, residents of Jigot Bahadur, sustained injuries in Kotkottera and Khuiratta sectors along LoC. “The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation, Faisal said.

On the same day, Indian troops intentionally targeted innocent civilians travelling in a civil bus in Bagsar sector.

“This is not only in clear violation of existing arrangement but also unethical and immoral. The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the working boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations,” the Indian diplomat was told.

Dr Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement; investigate these and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the working boundary. He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.