Indian diplomat summoned to lodge strong protest over ceasefire violations along LoC

Indian forces have carried out 3,012 ceasefire violations this year alone, says FO

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday summoned the Indian Charge d’affaires to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday, resulting in one martyrdom and serious injuries to three innocent civilians.

"Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring and Jandrot sectors of the LoC on December 22, 50-year-old Khadeeja, w/o Abdul Rahman, resident of Grid Janubi village, embraced shahadat [martyrdom] while 16-year-old Samar, s/o Muhammad Azeem, resident of Grid Janubi village; 18-year-old Aneela Kausar, d/o Muhammad Pervez, resident of Barmoch village and four-year-old Muhammad Seemab, s/o Muhammad Ramazan, resident of Tanoon village, sustained serious injuries," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The Indian troops 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 added.

"In 2020, the Indian occupation forces have carried out 3,012 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 28 martyrdom and serious injuries to 253 innocent civilians."

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian soldiers, 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 reflected consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and were a threat to regional peace and security," the statement said.

It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

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.