ISLAMABAD The Foreign Office on Thursday summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner Mr. JP Singh and strongly condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian forces in Battal sector along the Line of Control
Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Muhammad Faisal, who is also Director-General South Asia and SAARC, released a statement after Indian forces deliberately targeted a school van carrying school children on Battal-Madharpur road, resulting in the martyrdom of the driver, Sarfaraz Ahmed, leaving the school children severely traumatised.
The spokesman said that India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations carrying out more than 335 ceasefire violations in 2018 along the LoC and the Working Boundary, resulting in the martyrdom of fourteen civilians and injuries to 65 others.
This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from 2017 when Indian forces committed more than 1970 ceasefire violations.
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Furthermore, it stated that the targeting of civilian populated areas is deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations are also a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.
The spokesman urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations, and instruct Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit, and maintain peace on the LoC. He urged that the Indian side to permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
