Old woman martyred, three citizens hurt in Indian firing on LoC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday condemned the unprovoked Indian ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), terming the same a threat to regional peace and security, which might lead to a strategic miscalculation.

Director General (South Asia & Saarc) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia again on Tuesday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by theIndian occupation forces along the LoC on October 6 and 7, a Foreign Office statement said.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian army in Chirikot Sector of LoC, an old woman Nazira, Begum wife of Muhammad Hussain, aged 69 years, embraced Shahadat (martyrdom), while three other civilians, Manzoor, son of Ashraf, aged 43 years, Jamil, son of Misri, aged 40 years, and Mushtaq, son of Ghulam Muhammad, aged 46 years, residents of Kakuta village, sustained serious injuries.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons, which still continues. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations.

The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The Director General (SA & Saarc) 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 the Indian side to permit the UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions.