Pakistan condemns unprovoked ceasefire violations by India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Saturday summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Dana Sector.

The ceasefire violation resulted in the martyrdom of an innocent civilian (65-year old Zulfiqar s/o Mehboob r/o village Mouji) while injuring a boy (6-year old Ajaz s/o Safeer).

Director General (SA & SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement; investigate this 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 said the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions, according to a Foreign Office press release.

The press release further said the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.

“The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation,” it added.

The Indian forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary were continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons.

In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 1900 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the Working Boundary, resulting in the martyrdom of 31 innocent civilians, while injuring 122 others.

This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India continued from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations.