Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Indian deputy High Commissioner JP Singh for the fourth time in this week on Saturday to lodge protest with over ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).
"The Director General (SA & SAARC), Dr Mohammad Faisal, summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner Mr J P Singh on Monday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control and Working Boundary on 20th January 2018 in Khuiratta, Bagsar and Khanjar Sectors, resulting in the shahadat of one 60 years old innocent civilian, Ghulam Ali, while injuring two girls (6 years old chaman bibi and 27 years old Maria)," a statement issued by the Foreign Office spokesman said Saturday.
BR reporter from Islamabad adds: Pakistan on Saturday expressed concern over escalation in Indian ceasefire violations on Line of Control and Working Boundary and warned that the unprovoked ceasefire violations are a threat to regional peace and may lead to a strategic miscalculation. According to a Foreign Office statement, the Indian forces have carried out more than 150 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the Working Boundary in just 20 days, resulting in martyrdom of nine innocent civilians, while injuring 40 others.
On Saturday, the statement added that Director General South Asia SAARC Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the LoC and Working Boundary on January 20, 2018 in Khuiratta, Bagsar and Khanjar Sectors. The firing resulted in martyrdom of a 60-year-old innocent civilian Ghulam Ali, while injuring two girls - six-year-old Chaman Bibi and 27-year-old Maria.
Furthermore, the number of casualties on the Working Boundary has also risen due to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing by the Indian forces, the statement added. Four more innocent civilians embraced martyrdom while 20 got injured on 18th and 19th January 2018, it stated, adding that the Indian forces along the LoC and the Working boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy mortars and automatic weapons.
"This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India has been continuing since the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1,900 ceasefire violations," the statement added. "The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation," it added.
The director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement; investigate this 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. He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions, it added.