ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office has 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 19th December 2020, resulting in serious injuries to an innocent civilian.

Foreign Office said on Sunday that due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Rakhchikri Sector of the LoC on 19th December 2020, 25 year old Sagheera daughter of Muhammad Haneef, resident of Akhori village, 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-calibre mortars, and automatic weapons. In 2020, the Indian occupation forces have carried out 3003 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 27 shahadat and serious injuries to 250 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 Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).

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.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020