Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over LoC violations

ISLAMABAD – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday summoned a senior Indian diplomat to register Pakistan's strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on Sunday night, resulting in serious injuries to three innocent civilians.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring Sector of the LoC, 27 year old Naema Akhtar d/o Muhammad Siddique; 24 year old Zaeen Akhtar d/o Muhammad Siddique; and 16 year old Arbaz Ali S/o Muhammad Habib, residents of Sehra Village, sustained serious injuries, foreign office spokesperson in a press release said.

"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," it said.

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.

"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 & Kashmir (IIOJK)," it added.

According to spokesperson, 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.

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

This year, India has committed 2245 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 18 shahadat and serious injuries to 180 innocent civilians.