FO lodges protest with India over ceasefire violations along LoC

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Wednesday summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest against the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian forces in Kotkotera Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) that led to the killing of a civilian. 

The Director General (SA & SAARC), Dr. Mohammad Faisal, summoned the Indian diplomat over the death of an innocent civilian, Abdur Rauf, in Indian firing.

“The Indian Forces have carried out more than 2,000 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the martyrdom of 32 innocent civilians, while injuring 122 others,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The Foreign Office termed the deliberate targeting of civilian population areas as “deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws”.

The statement said the ceasefire violations by India were a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.

The Director General (SA & SAARC) urged India 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.

He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.