Pakistan summons Indian diplomat to protest Oct 29 ceasefire violation

'Two civilians were injured along the LoC in the latest incident of unprovoked firing by Indian occupation forces'

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Friday summoned a senior Indian diplomat to register strong protest over ceasefire violation by India along the Line of Control (LoC) on October 29, resulting in serious injuries to two civilians.

"Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Nezapir and Rakhchikri Sectors of the LoC, 22-year-old Rukhsana, resident of Kirni village, and 36-year-old Muhammad Azam,  resident of Akhori village, sustained serious injuries,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons, the MoFA stated.

This year, India has committed 2,580 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 19 shahadats and serious injuries to 199 innocent civilians.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct.

“These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security,” the FO stated, adding that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB.

It was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

The ministry had previously also summoned an Indian diplomat two weeks ago, on October 15, to protest another ceasefire violation by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on October 14, 2020, resulting in serious injuries to two innocent civilians.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Jandrot sector of the LoC, two residents of Barmoch village - 25 years old Sufiyan, son of Bagga Khan, and 28 years old Muhammad Rafaqat, son of Muhammad Riasat - had sustained serious injuries.