Pakistan conveys protest to India over ceasefire violations along LoC

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with senior Indian envoy over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) occurred on Sunday, resulting in serious injuries to six innocent civilians.

The Foreign Office in a statement said, “Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Rakhchikri and Khuiratta Sectors of the LoC, on 12th July 2020, 57 year old Naseem Bibi w/o Lal Muhammad, 35 year old Shabnum Bibi w/o Muhammad Zaheer, 11 year old Adeeba d/o Muhammad Zaheer, 20 year old Adil Hameed s/o Muhammad Hameed, 32 year old Pervez s/o Muhammad Deen and 35 year old Javed Hussain s/o Muhammad Hussain sustained serious injuries (injured civilians are residents of Kirni, Jijot Bahadar and Jagalpal village).”

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 1659 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 14 shahadats and serious injuries to 129 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. 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 Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

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.