Pakistan summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia on Wednesday and condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) last week.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs South Asia & SAARC Director General Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned the Indian envoy after three civilians were martyred and two injured on May 2 and 5 following ceasefire violations along the LoC.
Dr Faisal urges New Delhi to respect 2003 ceasefire arrangement, maintain peace on border regions
On May 2, 15-year-old Tahir Hafeez was martyred while his nine-year-old sister Tahira sustained serious injuries in the Rakhchikri Sector along the LoC. Three days later, on May 5, two innocent civilians – a woman identified as Nasreen Bibi and 12-year-old Muhammad Zahid, s/o Shabbir Ahmed – were martyred, while another woman identified as Sonia Bibi sustained injuries. In a press statement, the Foreign Office said, ” The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations.” The Foreign Office said India’s deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas was 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,” it warned. Dr Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate these and other incidents of violation, instruct Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit, and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary. He further urged the Indian side to permit the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.