Indian diplomat summoned; Pakistan strongly protests LoC violations

Islamabad: Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia on Monday was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on June 29, 30, resulting in shahadat of one and serious injuries to five innocent civilians.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Kayani and Jura sectors of the LoC, on June 29 and 30, 16-year-old Muhammad Tauheed s/o Muhammad Ismail, resident of Talwari village embraced shahadat; and 2-year-old Azad Ahmed s/o Mushahid Ibrahim, 6-year-old Aneesa Waqas d/o Muhammad Waqas, 28-year-old Siraj Din s/o Nizam Din, 16-year-old Sarmad Akram s/o Muhammad Akram and 42-year-old Abdul Qayyum s/o Junaid Ali sustained serious injuries, (all injured were residents of Falakan village).

“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 foreign office spokesperson in a press release said.

It further said these egregious violations of international law reflected consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and were a threat to regional peace and security.

It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India could not divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

“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.

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,” it added.

The Indian occupation 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.

This year, India has committed 1546 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 14 shahadats and serious injuries to 114 innocent civilians.