Pakistan summons senior Indian diplomat to register protest over ceasefire violations

The Foreign Office summoned on Thursday a senior Indian diplomat to register strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian security forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on 12th August 2020, resulting in serious injuries to two innocent civilians.

According to the official statement released today, the indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian forces in the Jandrot Sector of the LoC, a woman and minor sustained severe injuries.

“40 year old Shakeela Bibi w/o Muhammad Rafeeq and 12-year-old Ayesha Kausar d/o Muhammad Rafeeq, residents of Village Fanjot, sustained serious injuries,” said the FO in its statement about the victims of Indian firing.

The FO stated that the Indian side was urged to respect the 2003 Ceasefire agreement and investigate the recent and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations.

The senior diplomat was also conveyed that the neighbouring country should maintain peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

“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,” said the FO.

Calling the incident a violation of the agreement, the FO said that it was 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 FO mentioned that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the “grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)”.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the WB have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons, stated the FO.

“This year, India has committed 1961 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 16 shahadats and serious injuries to 160 innocent civilians,” read the statement.

In July, a foreign media delegation met those affected by unprovoked shelling by the Indian Army alongside the LoC, the Inter-Services Public Relations had said.

According to the army's media wing, members of the foreign media went to the Chirikot sector at the LoC to view the situation in the restive area. The visit was undertaken by the media delegation ahead of the one-year anniversary of India's unilateral decision to revoke occupied Kashmir's special status on August 5.

The delegation was given full access to inspect and visit the LoC and meet locals there. The media also inspected India's violations along the LoC at the Poonch sector where it uses heavy weaponry and mortar to target the civilian population.