Foreign Office summons India's envoy, lodges protest over ceasefire violations

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and lodged a strong protest over unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday in Leepa Sector, resulting in martyrdom of one civilian in Bijildar village.

Haroon Abdul Rashid, 18 years old, was killed in Indian firing.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said the Indian forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary were continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons.

He said the Indian forces had so far carried out over 2300 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the Working Boundary this year, resulting in martyrdom of 34 innocent civilians and injuries to 135 others.

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The spokesperson said deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. He said the ceasefire violations by India were a threat to regional peace and security and might lead to a strategic miscalculation.

He urged that the Indian side should permit United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Faisal said the Indian side was urged to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate the recent 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.