ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has summoned a senior Indian diplomat to register its strong protest over ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in the martyrdom of four innocent civilians and serious injuries to 12 others, according to a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to a statement, the targeted areas in the most recent ceasefire violations were Neelum Valley (Nekrun, Kel, Sharda, Dudhnial, Shahkot, Jura, Nauseri sectors), Leepa Valley (Danna, Mandal and Kayani sectors), Jhelum Valley (Chham and Pandu sectors), and Bagh Valley (Pirkanthi, Sankh, Haji Pir, Bedori and Kailer sectors), read the FO statement.
“In this deliberate provocation, Indian occupation forces, in utter disregard for all international obligations and human rights and the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding targeted civilian inhabited areas,” as per the statement.
The FO said that 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 alone, India has thus far committed 2,737 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 25 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 218 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,” the statement added.
It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in 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 asked to permit 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.
Earlier the day, at least 10 civilians and five security personnel were killed in cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan’s military said in a statement it had responded to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing by the Indian army. Indian officials said six civilians, three soldiers and a border guard were killed on their side.
The Pakistan military said four civilians and one soldier were killed on the Pakistani side. “As usual they targeted civilian populations without any remorse,” said Syed Shahid Qadri, a government official in Azad Kashmir, where a woman was among the dead and 27 others were injured.
Across the border in Indian occupied Kashmir, officials said an 8-year-old child was among those killed in the shelling that started in the morning and continued late into the evening.
