Pakistan summons Indian diplomat to lodge protest over ceasefire violations

FO says New Delhi has committed 2,970 violations, resulting in martyrdom of 27 innocent civilians this year alone

A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFa) on Monday to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the recent ceasefire violation by occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC), 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 Chirikot Sector of the LoC on Sunday, 19-year-old resident of Kakota village Nasreen Akhtar and resident of Chaffer village Shoukat sustained serious injuries.

The Indian 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.

This year, India has committed 2,970 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in martyrdom of 27 innocent civilians and serious injuries to 249 others.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, the Foreign Office said that 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."

It was added 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).

The official statement said that the 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.

The Indian side 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.