ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned senior Indian diplomat over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) that resulted in serious injuries to an innocent civilian.

"A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday to register Pakistan's strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on 20th July 2020," the Foreign Office said.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Bagsar Sector of the LoC, it stated that a 20-year-old Moin Akhtar, son of Muhammad Akhtar, resident of Village Mehtika, sustained serious injuries.

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, it stated.

This year, India has committed 1,732 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 14 shahadats and serious injuries to 134 innocent civilians, it added.

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)," the Foreign Office further stated.

It stated that 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, it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020