Top Indian diplomat summoned over LoC violations

Pakistan on Saturday summoned top Indian diplomat and registered with him a strong protest on the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) that resulted in serious injuries to a 13-year-old girl.

"A senior diplomat from the High Commission of India was summoned to the Foreign Office, Saturday, to register Pakistan's strong protest on the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control in Nezapir and Rakhchikri sectors on 14th February, 2020," Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces, she said that an innocent civilian, a 13 years old Abida Jamal, daughter of Muhammad Jamal, resident of village Fatehpur, sustained serious injuries.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons, which still continues.

"This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations. This year India has committed 287 ceasefire violations to date," she stated.

Farooqui added that the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian law.

She said that the ceasefire violations by India were a threat to regional peace and security and might lead to a strategic miscalculation.

The FO spokesperson said that Indian side was urged to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate these and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit; and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

It was emphasized that by raising tensions along the LoC, India cannot divert attention from the worsening human rights situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

Farooqui said that it was further underscored that India must allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.