Ceasefire violations: Protest lodged with Indian envoy

ISLAMABAD: Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia on Wednesday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

In the most recent ceasefire violations by the Indian forces on August 27 in Nekrun Sector of LoC, two innocent civilians — Abdul Jalil and three-year-old girl Nausheen — were martyred and three others sustained serious injuries. Moreover, in Chirikot Sector of LoC, a four-year-old boy sustained serious injuries, according to a Foreign Office statement.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary have continuously been 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 since the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations. The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.

The ceasefire violations by India pose a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation. 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 United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.