ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned Indian Charge d’affaires to register a strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) which resulted in loss of precious civilian life and serious injuries to three other innocent civilians.

According to a statement of the Foreign Office, the top Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces on 22nd December 2020.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring and Jandrot sectors of the LoC on 22nd December 2020, a 50-year-old Khadeeja, wife of Abdul Rahman, resident of Grid Janubi village embraced martyrdom and 16 years old Samar, son of Muhammad Azeem resident of Grid Janubi village, 18 years old Aneela Kausar, daughter of Muhammad Pervez, resident of Barmoch village, four years old Muhammad Seemab, son of Muhammad Ramazan, resident of Tanoon 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-caliber mortars, and automatic weapons,” the Foreign Office said.

In 2020, the Indian occupation forces have carried out 3,012 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 28 shahadats and serious injuries to 253 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 Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), it added.

“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,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020