Pakistan summons senior Indian diplomat over ceasefire violation at LoC

ISLAMABAD: A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to register Pakistan’s strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on February 02, resulting in serious injuries to four civilians including three women, ARY NEWS reported.

According to the Foreign Office spokesman, due to the indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring and Jandrot Sectors of the LoC on February 02, four civilians including three women sustained injuries.

The foreign office said that the Indian 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.

“In 2021, the Indian forces have carried out 175 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in serious injuries to eight civilians,” it said.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of 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 foreign office said adding that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

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.