Senior Indian diplomat summoned to protest LoC violations

ISLAMABAD: A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday to register Pakistan’s strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along Line of Control (LoC) on December 09, resulting in serious injuries to an innocent civilian.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hot Spring Sector of the LoC, 55-year-old Naseem Fatima w/o Sabir Shah, resident of Tai Mohra village, sustained serious injuries.

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 Working Boundary. 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. The Indian side was also urged to allow 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.

"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. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K). The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 2,940 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 27 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 247 innocent civilians.