Civil, military leaders term Indian ceasefire violations ‘deplorable’

ISLAMABAD: The civil and military officials on Friday took up the issue of continuing Indian ceasefire violations condemning and terming it “deplorable”, while also sending out a clear message that the Pakistan Army “shall continue to take all necessary measures to deter any such aggression in future.”

The ceasefire violations have taken the lives of six civilians, including women. Acting Foreign Secretary Aitzaz Ahmed and Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza raised the issue of unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces in Charwa Sector, Bini Sulariyan Village, on September  21 2017, resulting in the martydom of six civilians, including four females and injuries to 26 others, including 15 females and 5 children.

Many of the affected are seriously injured and the casualties are likely to rise. The outgoing Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale was summoned by Aitzaz Ahmed and told that deliberate targeting of civilians was indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws. 

“The acting foreign secretary 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 Working Boundary. 

He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions”, Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement. "Instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit," the acting foreign secretary added.

The spokesman pointed out that despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2017 to date, Indian forces have carried out more than 870 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the killing of 38 innocent civilians and injuries to 142, as compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016.

Special hotline contact was also established between the DGMOs of Pakistan and India  to discuss the "deliberate targeting of Pakistani civilians residing in vicinity of working boundary," the ISPR said on Friday.

"The violation clearly undermines all existing understandings on the issue," the ISPR said. According to the ISPR, the army conveyed its "unflinching resolve to ensure security of its population" to the Indian DGMO. "[The army] shall continue to take all necessary measures to deter any such aggression in future," the ISPR said.