ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal on Wednesday summoned Indian Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on February 26.
The ceasefire violations in Nikial and Khuiratta Sectors had resulted in the shahadats (martyrdom) of four innocent civilians Mottia Bibi, Zarina, Gulfaraz and Shehnaz, while injuring six others.
The Indian forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations.
“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation,” said the FO spokesman in a statement issued today.
Dr Mohammad Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement; investigate this 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.
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.
Published in Daily Times, February 28th 2019.