ISLAMABAD: A senior Indian diplomat on Sunday was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to register Pakistan's strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on September 5, resulting in serious injuries to one innocent civilian.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Rakhchikri Sector of the LoC, 19-year old Muhammad Tariq son of Ghulam Hussain, resident of Kirni village, sustained serious injuries, the 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 were in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and were 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," the spokesperson said.

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

According to the press release, 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) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons.

This year, India has committed 2,158 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in martyrdom (Shahadat) of 17 and serious injuries to 168 innocent civilians.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020